2026: What’s ahead

EU Digital Agenda for 2026: from strategy to action 

The time for action has arrived. Over the last months, the European Commission has defined broad policy guidelines for the current mandature (2024-2029): simplification, competitiveness, and innovation. The European executive has learned from the Mario Draghi and Enrico Letta reports – a welcome shift toward pragmatism for Internet Service Providers.  

In 2026, the Commission will translate these priorities into concrete proposals. Its work program directly impacts EuroISPA members across connectivity, data protection, cybersecurity, AI and platform regulation – making active engagement essential.  

KEY LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES

The future Digital Networks Act is one of the major priorities for EuroISPA members. As Europe recasts its Electronic Communications Code, the stakes could not be higher: ensuring sustainable investment models while meeting connectivity demands for decades ahead. We expect the Commission to deliver a framework that balances regulatory certainty with technological evolution, incentivizing investment in digital infrastructures.  

EuroISPA welcomed the October 2025 Digital Omnibus Package. Aligning e-Privacy with GDPR is critical – reducing administrative burdens while clarifying legal obligations. Ensuring AI Act implementation is innovation-friendly similarly heads in the right direction. For our members, simplification here means tangible operational relief.  

On the revision of the Cybersecurity Act, EuroISPA supports a targeted revision of the Regulation.  

On the Digital Fairness Act: while we support strong consumer protection, creating new legislation risks regulatory fragmentation. Existing frameworks can achieve these goals more efficiently.  

On online piracy of sports and other live events, following its evaluation of the 2023 Recommendation, the Commission has concluded that this non-binding instrument is insufficient to tackle this illegal phenomenon. It is likely that a new legislative initiative is being considered to harmonise cooperation tools and EuroISPA will carefully follow how the issue may evolve, ensuring any framework respects technical feasibility and fundamental rights.

COOPERATION BETWEEN INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS AND JUDICIAL AUTHORITIES   

EuroISPA remains committed to ongoing discussions on the CSAM regulation which is at the final stage of negotiations. It welcomes the Council’s general approach adopted under the Danish Presidency, which excluded detection obligations from the scope of the future regulation.   

The August 2026 e-evidence regulation implementation presents significant operational challenges, particularly the decentralized IT system. EuroISPA will facilitate dialogue between members and the Commission to ensure workable compliance pathways.  

On metadata retention, we await the early 2026 impact assessment. Any legislative initiative must avoid imposing requirements that compromise EU competitiveness, digital sovereignty, or cybersecurity – outcomes that benefit neither security nor innovation.  

Finally, encryption remains paramount. As the Commission launches its expert group, EuroISPA’s co-signed global statement underscores our position: encryption is foundational to digital trust and economic security. Proposals weakening encryption to facilitate law enforcement access would fundamentally undermine these objectives – a tradeoff Europe cannot afford.  

EuroISPA’s strength lies in our diverse membership – representing the full value chain from infrastructure providers to content platforms. Our established relationships with European institutions (Commission, Parliament, Council) and agencies (EUIPO, BEREC) position us to effectively advocate for balanced, evidence-based policies. As 2026’s legislative agenda unfolds, our collective voice will be essential in shaping Europe’s digital future.