Fri Sep 20 10:31:14 UTC 2024: ## EU Member States Push Back Against Telecom Deregulation Proposals
**Brussels, 19 September 2024** – Despite proposals by former Italian Prime Ministers Enrico Letta and Mario Draghi to deregulate the EU telecom sector, member states have voiced significant concerns, according to a working document from the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU.
The document reveals that member states, in their written responses to the Hungarian draft conclusions, have criticized reports advocating for deregulation by Letta, Draghi, and the European Commission. The Netherlands, for instance, argues that the Commission’s white paper wrongly suggests that current competition levels hinder growth and the achievement of EU digital targets.
Several countries, including Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Italy, Malta, Slovenia, and Sweden, have urged Hungary to strengthen its criticism of the proposed deregulation. Sweden, in particular, stated that the Letta report lacks a comprehensive analysis of the market.
Beyond deregulation, member states have also raised various other concerns. France has requested clarification on the potential “European champions” in the telecom sector, while Germany argues that removing regulatory red tape can attract investment in telecom networks.
Furthermore, several countries, including Czechia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, and the Netherlands, have called for a comprehensive impact assessment of the EU telecoms market before any regulatory changes are implemented.
The document highlights the strong opposition to the deregulation proposals and points towards a potential clash at the next telecom Council working party on 24 September.
Beyond deregulation, the document also reveals a range of concerns regarding spectrum management, environmental sustainability, public investment, and universal service provision.
Despite the strong opposition from member states, the Hungarian Presidency has drafted a compromise text that attempts to reconcile these concerns. This compromise text, however, is likely to face further scrutiny and debate during the upcoming working party.
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