Safety, security and satellite were three prominent and popular topics, with a surprising dose of optimism offered over Europe’s future competitiveness
MWC25: Regulation & Policy roundup from Day 1
Familiar calls for deregulation and consolidation to help spur investment alongside debates over fair share and the governance of AI set the tone for the first day of the event
The changing ownership of former incumbents
As some European governments are reducing shares in domestic operators, others are actively raising their stakes, often to protect strategic national assets
The EC’s 2025 work programme
The EC’s planned activities seek to kickstart growth by cutting red tape and enhancing competition, while being mindful of the security of critical digital infrastructure
The EU’s Competitiveness Compass
The EC calls for a greater cutting of red tape than ever before to encourage investment and innovation to restore the bloc’s competitiveness with China and the US
France: Arcep’s ‘Ambition 2030’ strategy
Network resilience, environmental sustainability, connectivity and digital competition are at the centre of the regulator’s ambitions and actions for the next five years
Apple and Google: The first investigations under the UK’s DMCC Act
Apple and Google could become the first SMS-designated firms under the CMA’s digital competition regime as the regulator opens its first SMS investigations
Swisscom’s acquisition of Vodafone Italia
Swisscom makes wholesale access commitments to secure the AGCM’s approval and strengthen its position in Italy, as Vodafone completes European “rightsizing”
Council conclusions on the digital infrastructure White Paper
Ministers signal support for continued ex-ante regulation of the sector but question whether telecoms and cloud providers should face the same rules
Three/Vodafone in the UK: Merger approval
Approval from the CMA based on behavioural, rather than structural, remedies is unusual but sensible. It does, however, mean that much of the real work starts now
