Early BEREC Assessment of the Digital Networks Act

On 21 January 2026, the European Commission published its proposal for a Digital Networks Act (DNA), a regulation aiming at updating the objectives and relevant regulatory tools of the legislative framework for electronic communications. The proposal underscores the importance of regulatory simplification and predictability to which Member States, national regulatory authorities (NRAs) and other competent authorities (OCAs), as well as the Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC), the Radio Spectrum Policy Body (RSPB), the Office for Digital Networks (ODN) and the European Commission, should adhere.

BEREC shares the ambition of the DNA to strengthen the internal market and enable resilient, sustainable and affordable connectivity for Europe, through a framework as simple and predictable as possible and at least as efficient as the existing one. Nevertheless, BEREC has doubts about the effectiveness of the proposals in this regard, as several key provisions of the DNA add unnecessary layers of complexity, without bringing clear added value to the current framework, nor reaching the aims of regulatory simplification and predictability; this is also evidenced by the wide range of implementing acts envisaged across several areas.

BEREC is hereby providing its preliminary high-level views - gained by its member NRAs on the ground, through years of implementation of the current framework - on the main areas covered by the proposal. BEREC reserves the right to refine or expand upon any of its views, as expressed herein, and to raise any additional points as may be necessary or appropriate in light of ongoing analysis, and stands ready to support the co-legislators with its regulatory expertise and to collaborate on targeted improvements to the legislative text.