The European Commission opens the door for big tech companies to pay “toll” to national operators to contribute “fairly” to infrastructure investments
The European Commission started an investigation on Thursday into whether the major technology platforms such as Netflix, Google or Amazon – among others – should contribute to financing the necessary investments to roll out the super-fast 5G and 6G networks in the European Union. The proposal, which is now entering the public consultation phase, would include “tolls” that these companies would have to pay to national telecommunications operators to contribute “fairly and equitably” to necessary infrastructure investments on the continent.
The initiative responds to the demand of some European operators, such as Telefónica, who ask that the major platforms take on a share of the costs of these infrastructures, with which they operate in the EU and which allow them to share a large part of their benefits. Internal Market Commissioner Thirry Breton has emphasized that he hopes the consultation will be “as broad as possible” and has invited all interested parties to participate in this process, which will end on 19 May.
From this consultation, the European Commission will collect information that will enable it to determine what types of infrastructure are needed to ensure technological development and what investments are required for this. Also about the possible contribution of large platforms to the roll-out of high-capacity networks. The Declaration of Digital Rights and Principles states that “all market players benefiting from the digital transformation must assume their social responsibility and make a fair and proportionate contribution to public goods, services and infrastructure for the benefit of all Europeans”.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
