Press release - BEREC will continue promoting full connectivity to strengthen Europe's digital sovereignty

The Body of European Regulators for Electronic Communications (BEREC) welcomes the 2030 Digital Compass – the initiative to achieve a strong European digital sovereignty in the next decade.  

The European Commission (EC) published yesterday a Communication which sets out clearly defined goals for 2030, focusing on digital infrastructure, digital skills and digitalisation of business and public services. As a part of the vision set out, the EC proposes that by 2030 all European households are to be covered by a Gigabit network, with all populated areas covered by 5G. This focus for ambition, according to the EC, should be on the more sustainable next generation fixed, mobile and satellite connectivity, with Very High Capacity Networks including 5G being rolled out.

The policy priorities set out in the Digital Decade Communication are governed by the vision that connectivity is the most fundamental building block of the digital transformation. Gigabit connectivity, powered with secure fibre and 5G infrastructures, is indispensable for all parts of society in order to transition to a healthy planet and a Europe that is fit for the digital decade. BEREC’s Strategy 2021-2025 reflects an identical conviction.

BEREC aims to continue providing its expertise in promoting and ensuring full connectivity. To that end, we are prioritising work that improves the general conditions for the expansion and take-up of secure, competitive and reliable high-capacity networks, both fixed and wireless, across Europe.

BEREC and its members stand ready to assist the Commission and the Member States in the implementation of the Digital Compass, by benchmarking indicators and reporting on how to enable comparable national coverage indicators throughout Europe. BEREC Chair Michel Van Bellinghen (BIPT, Belgium) underlines that European regulators for electronic communications put promoting the “Digital Decade targets” at the forefront of our agenda, given the strategic importance for the European market: “BEREC will contribute, through cooperation with the competent institutions and stakeholders, to ensure that future network technologies meet their connectivity targets in line with European values and interests - security, protection of end-users, environmental challenges.”
In the past years, BEREC has undertaken various activities directly and indirectly related to mapping indicators. This includes the launch of a study on the development of coverage information for 5G deployments, the publication of BEREC Guidelines detailing Quality of Service Parameters, as well as relevant consideration of mobile service mapping, in addition to fixed infrastructure mapping, in relation to the BEREC Guidelines on Geographical surveys of network deployment. These Guidelines are important for seeking to promote full connectivity, in particular for the expansion of networks with a very high capacity. This year, BEREC will also explore drawing up common indicators and metrics for 5G monitoring.

In addition, BEREC is expanding further its knowledge of the environmental consequences of electronic communications networks and services providers in order to assess how it can contribute to limiting the impact on the environment.  

BEREC is a trustworthy partner for the EU institutions in the backdrop of the European digital policy. BEREC will continue assess the future technological and market developments, especially related to end-user provisions within the scope of electronic communications and the digital ecosystem.