Europe is losing its digital lead and industry leaders are sounding the alarm about this danger. In an open letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, twenty CEOs of leading telecommunications and technology giants, including Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, Nokia, Ericsson and Orange, are asking the Commission to act quickly and decisively to prevent this development.

They warn that without deep reforms and adoption of the Digital Networks Act (DNA), the continent risks undermining its future competitiveness and security. The intervention comes almost a year after the formation of the new Commission, which had made restoring European competitiveness a priority.

However, as the signatories note, “the Europe that once led, today lags behind” – from economic development to innovation. The main problem lies in insufficient digital infrastructure and regulatory complexity, which hinders large-scale investment.

The figures are revealing: only 2% of Europeans have access to standalone 5G networks, compared to 25% in the US and 77% in China. The signatories point out that Europe is already missing out on huge economic and social opportunities – from the exploitation of industrial data to the development of artificial intelligence. “Connectivity is the foundation of any modern economy; without it, even the strongest industries will look like houses of cards”they emphasize.

Investments €500 billion

European operators have invested more than €500 billion over the past decade to develop 5G networks, but the continent remains fragmented, with more than 100 companies in 27 countries. The result is a loss of “scale,” allowing competitors in the US and Asia to move faster and more efficiently.

CEOs are calling on the Commission to shape a simpler and friendlier regulatory framework, which will boost mergers, pooling of investments and the single telecommunications market.

The letter also refers to Mario Draghi’s report, which as early as last year underlined that “Europe needs a single, ambitious strategy for the digital transition”. Industry leaders are calling for its recommendations to be implemented with the utmost level of ambition and speed.

“The Commission has the power to reverse this course,” note in closing. “We are ready to cooperate so that the E.U. to enter 2026 with a clear action plan to invest in digital infrastructure – the foundation of Europe’s growth, innovation and security.”