The proposals add to the measures forming the Digital Decade package.
A Recommendation as part of the Digital Decade package: On 18 September 2020, the European Commission announced a new Recommendation to boost investment in ‘very high capacity’ fixed and mobile networks (VHCN). These measures were announced by President Von Der Leyen during the State of the Union address on 16 September 2020, as part of the ‘Digital Decade’ agenda.
The three key objectives: The EC aims to reduce the cost of deployment of VHCNs, while at the same time increasing the speed of roll-out. This will be achieved by removing unnecessary administrative hurdles. The other two key objectives relate to spectrum, with the timely provision of airwaves for 5G, and the need to foster cross-border coordination for radio spectrum assignments, in order to support innovative services in fields such as industry and transport.
What does the Recommendation say? The EC calls on Member States to build upon the Broadband Cost Reduction Directive, and share best practices regarding simpler and more transparent granting of permits for civil works. They must also improve transparency around existing physical infrastructure (including expanding operators’ right to access public infrastructure), and improve the dispute resolution mechanism related to infrastructure access. National regulators, with the involvement of BEREC, will have to identify the respective current best practices and share them with the EC by 20 December 2020. They will then agree on a ‘toolbox’ of measures by 30 March 2021.
