Brussels, 18 September 2025: a delegation of CEOs of ecta members met with Ms Henna Virkkunen Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy.
The delegation included: Mr Søren Abildgaard, CEO, Odido, Mr Jacques Bonifay, founder and CEO, Transatel; Mr Alex Goldblum, CEO Eurofiber, Mr Valentin Popoviciu, Executive Director, DIGI Communications N.V. (DIGI group) and ecta Chairman; Mr Luc Hindryckx, ecta Director General and Ms Pinar Serdengecti, ecta Director of Competition and Regulation.
The meeting provided the opportunity to discuss the success of the European pro-competitive model. Based on an ex-ante, SMP-based regulatory framework, it has consistently delivered investment, innovation, and consumer welfare, underlining why it should be preserved going forward.
Successful examples of the European telecommunications internal market were also presented, showcasing how they contribute to Europe’s competitiveness.
The following key messages were delivered:
- Competition drives competitiveness and digital sovereignty
Competitive alternative providers prove that competition is not a constraint but a prerequisite for Europe’s digital sovereignty and global competitiveness.
- Stability delivers results: networks, competition, innovation, welfare
The current ex-ante, SMP-based and technology-neutral framework has delivered: network deployment, competition, consumer protection, innovation, and welfare.
- Risks of deregulation: loss of clarity, reduced investor confidence
Weakening Member State level regulation, or removing the two relevant markets from the current recommendation risks undermining stability and clarity, discouraging investment.
Luc Hindryckx, Director General said: “Our operators are leading the development of an accessible Gigabit society, representing significant investments in fixed, mobile, and fixed wireless access networks that qualify as Very High Capacity Networks, and demonstrating unique innovation capabilities. We thank Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen for the thoughtful and constructive exchange.”
Finally, the CEOs highlighted why a diversified electronic communications sector—embracing a wide variety of participants, both large and small, and fostering a broad range of products and services—is essential to empower the entire European economy and unleash its innovative potential in the digital realm. This diversity is crucial for Europe’s global competitiveness.
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ecta members are united in their belief that an inclusive electronic communications sector, embracing a multitude of participants, both large and small, and nurturing a diverse array of products and services, is essential to empower the entire European economy and unleash its innovative potential in the digital realm. In other words, diversity in telecoms is essential to guarantee Europe’s Competitiveness. This is the key message that ecta and its members continuously promote.
| For further information on the contents of this press release and ecta’s positions, please contact:
Luc Hindryckx, Director General, +32 472 35 06 54 |
| ecta, the european competitive telecommunications association (www.ectaportal.com), represents those alternative operators who, relying on the pro-competitive EU legal framework that has created a free market for electronic communications, have helped overcome national monopolies to give EU citizens, businesses and public administrations quality and choice at affordable prices. ecta represents at large those operators who are driving the development of an accessible Gigabit society, who represent significant investments in fixed, mobile and fixed wireless access networks that qualify as Very High Capacity Networks and who demonstrate unique innovation capabilities. |
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