Tag Archive for: Press Release

EuroISPA contribution to the proposal on the Digital Networks Act

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EuroISPA welcomes the European Commission’s proposal on the Digital Networks Act (DNA), which aims to modernise the EU regulatory framework for electronic communications and strengthen the competitiveness and resilience of the sector.

We support the overall objectives of greater harmonisation, simplification, and futureproofing of the regulatory framework. However, EuroISPA considers that the proposal does not yet fully achieve these objectives.


Our targeted recommendations to co-legislators focus on:

  • Ensuring the stability and effectiveness of existing rules while avoiding unintended regulatory consequences
  • Ensuring resilience obligations are defined through performance-based standards that are technically sound and economically proportionate
  • Maintaining a proportionate scope for the General Authorisation Regime
  • Improving long-term spectrum frameworks and safeguarding proportionality in numbering resources
  • Completing the consistency framework and targeting consumer protections at their intended beneficiaries
  • Adopting a technology-neutral, outcomes-based approach within end-user protection against fraud, setting clear objectives while empowering providers to deploy the most effective solutions available at any given time
  • Ensuring that horizontal legislation remains the primary vehicle for security and sustainability obligations
  • Maintaining and strengthening the current BEREC-led governance model
  • Modernising the Open Internet rules to reflect the evolution of networks while preserving the aim and the spirit of the original net neutrality rules

EuroISPA looks forward to engaging with co-legislators on these important matters. For more details on EuroISPA’s position, we invite you to read our full contribution below.

Read the Position Paper

Joint Industry Statement on the Digital Omnibus on AI calling for a swift agreement with simplification at its core

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The undersigned industry associations represent a broad spectrum of companies operating across Europe and beyond, spanning the entire AI value chain. Our members are at the forefront of transformative advances in AI technologies, which generate substantial benefits to the EU’s economy and society.


On 19 November 2025, the European Commission presented its Digital Omnibus on AI, delivering on the objectives of its Communication on a Simpler and Faster Europe to promote “unprecedented simplification measures that aim to radically lighten the regulatory load”. In line with the Letta and Draghi reports, the proposal promotes forward-looking, innovation-driven policies to strengthen the European Union’s competitiveness, reduce regulatory burdens, and uphold its core values. We, the signatories of this joint statement, welcome this initiative and share the Commission’s commitment to a clear, simple and innovation-friendly implementation of the AI Act, as set out in the AI Continent Action Plan and the Apply AI Strategy. The AI Omnibus is an important step in the right direction.


As both co-legislators adopted their respective positions, we call on them to swiftly reach a final agreement, support a highly ambitious text, and ensure that regulatory simplification remains at its core. We welcome the alignment between both the European Parliament and the Member States regarding fixed compliance deadlines for high-risk AI systems, and we fully support the Parliament’s amendment to move Section A of Annex I into Section B in order to streamline overlaps with existing EU sectorial legislation, avoid unnecessary duplication, and support a clear and integrated conformity pathway. These approaches not only uphold the essence of simplification but also preserve high safety standards while improving legal certainty, regulatory efficiency, and predictability for innovation.


However, we strongly encourage policymakers to consider some key targeted adjustments to retain the initial ambition of the simplification agenda, as well as to ensure that the framework is genuinely innovation-friendly and technology-neutral. We urge co-legislators to adopt a pragmatic simplification approach by not only maintaining the European Commission’s proposed grace period for generative AI labelling under Article 50(2), but also extending it to a more realistic period of 12 months. EU negotiators should also extend the grace period to the labelling requirements set out in Article 50(4). Finally, the provision must be extended to cover new systems on the market. The grace period is currently limited to AI systems already on the market before 2 August 2026 and therefore does not provide legal certainty for systems placed on the market after that date. Without such adjustments, these unclear obligations, pending the development of a Code of Practice and guidance from the AI Office, risk creating inconsistency, legal uncertainty, and delays to product releases (and thus AI innovation in Europe).


Furthermore, we fully support both the principle and the importance of the proposals for the prohibition of AI systems used for “nudification”, non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII), and child sexual abuse material (CSAM). When addressing this issue, policymakers should ensure consistency with the European Commission’s guidelines on prohibited practices under the AI Act.


Finally, we recommend returning to the Commission’s proposal to allow AI systems not classified as high-risk to be exempt from registration in the EU database. This approach would streamline compliance and reduce disproportionate burdens on companies and enforcement authorities, while preserving the risk-based approach of the EU AI Act.


These simplification efforts are essential to ensuring that the implementation of the AI Act is smooth, predictable, and conducive to innovation, thereby enabling Europe to strengthen its position as a global leader in AI and to pursue a safe and effective AI-first approach.


We look forward to continuing to work constructively with EU policymakers in support of these shared objectives.

Your sincerely,

The undersigned:
ACT – The App Association
American Chamber of Commerce to the European Union (AmCham EU)
Association des Services Internet Communautaires (ASIC)
Association of the Internet Industry (ECO)
Business Software Alliance
Chamber of Progress
Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA Europe)
Developers Alliance
DOT Europe
European Association of Internet Services Providers (EuroISPA)
European Automotive Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA)
Federation of European Data and Marketing (FEDMA)
German Association for the Digital Economy (BVDW)
ITI, Information Technology Industry Council
Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers (ZPP)

Read the full joint statement here:

Joint-Industry-Statement-Digital-Omnibus-on-AIDownload

Joint industry statement from EuroISPA, CISPE and the European DIGITAL SME Alliance

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EuroISPA, CISPE and Digital SME Alliance’s reaction to current legislative developments in Italy
on the extension of a copyright levy on private copies stored in cloud

The organisations EuroISPA, CISPE and the European DIGITAL SME Alliance would like to share their concern on the worrying developments in Italy on the introduction of a recurring private copy levy specifically targeting cloud storage services, based on Article 5 on Exceptions and Limitations of Directive 2001/29/EC on the harmonisation of certain aspects of copyright and related rights in the information society (InfoSoc Directive).  

Context: 

A new Italian decree, whose final version has been signed by Italy’s Minister of Culture on 23 February 2026, introduces a monthly levy on “cloud memory or cloud storage space”, calculated per GB and per user (with a monthly cap per user), as well as new reporting and administrative obligations for providers, shifting the system from a one-off levy on devices and supports to a recurring charge on the mere availability of cloud storage. 

The decree is currently awaiting its publication in the Official Journal of Italy. 

Risks: 

The signatories are concerned about the repercussions that this measure might have at European level, as well as potential consequences if applied to any remote storage accessible to nationals, including a presumption of some private use in B2B cases. 

In particular, this approach may: 

  1. Create fragmentation within the EU Single Market: Should other Member States adopt similar measures, this would risk introducing divergent national regimes, thereby undermining the integrity and proper functioning of the EU Single Market; 
  1. Undermine EU and national digitalisation objectives: Such measures would run counter to key EU and national policy goals aimed at accelerating digital transformation, including the Digital Decade target of achieving 75% cloud uptake and the AI Continent Action Plan objective of tripling data centre capacity; 
  1. Conflict with the EU’s simplification and competitiveness agenda: The proposed system risks introducing significant administrative and financial burdens for companies operating in Italy, including innovative SMEs, thereby undermining efforts to streamline regulatory frameworks and enhance Europe’s competitiveness; 
  1. Level playing field concerns: The current framework may also create competitive imbalances, making it easy to impose levies on operators with an Italian operational base, while their international competitors are much more likely to avoid them due to legal complexity and the regulator’s limited monitoring capacity; 
  1. Lack sufficient legal justification: As further detailed below, the introduction of such measures appears unsupported by evidence of concrete harm. 

The 2022 Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) judgment on Austro-Mechana v Strato1 expressly limited any “fair compensation” under Article 5(2)(b) of Directive 2001/29/EC to be strictly linked to the actual harm suffered by rightsholders as a result of private copying. In particular, the Court reiterated that such compensation must be demonstrably connected to the harm caused; however, the Italian decree does not appear to provide evidence establishing either the existence or the extent of such harm. 

In light of this development, EuroISPA, CISPE and Digital SME Alliance call for: 

  1. An urgent discussion between the Commission and Italy to ascertain the legality of the Decree and mitigate its imminent negative effects on the Single Market; 
  1. The Commission to urgently initiate a review of the InfoSoc Directive with the view of harmonising copyright levies at European level before every Member States adopts their own different rules, leading to a serious fragmentation of the single market and jeopardising the EU’s digitalisation, simplification and competitiveness objectives. 

Signatories: 

  • EuroISPA (European Internet Services Providers Association) 

Established in 1997, EuroISPA is the world’s largest association of Internet Services Providers Associations, representing over 3,300 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) across the EU and EFTA countries. EuroISPA is recognised as the voice of the EU ISP industry, reflecting the views of ISPs of all sizes from across its member base. 

  • CISPE (Cloud Infrastructure Services Providers in Europe) 

CISPE is the largest and most representative organisation for European cloud infrastructure providers, with a sovereign governance protecting it against foreign influence. Since 2016, CISPE has been working with EU institutions to support reasonable and ambitious cloud policies that strengthen Europe’s digital competitiveness, sovereignty and sustainability. Besides policy work, CISPE also develops concrete tools for the industry to comply with legislation such as the GDPR and the Data Act and issues warnings against developments around Europe that could threaten the health of the European cloud ecosystem. 

  • European DIGITAL SME Alliance 

The European DIGITAL SME Alliance is the largest network of ICT small and medium enterprises in Europe, representing more than 45,000 companies. DIGITAL SME is the joint effort of 30 national and regional SME associations from EU member states and neighbouring countries to put digital SMEs at the centre of the EU agenda. 

Read the full joint statement here:

Statement-on-Cloud-copyright-levy-EuroISPA_CISPE_EUDigitalSMEAllianceDownload

EuroISPA signs MoU with RIPE NCC

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Brussels, 28 November 2025 – EuroISPA, the pan European association of Internet Service Provider Associations, last week signed a Memorandum of Understanding with RIPE NCC, The Regional Internet Registry for Europe, Middle East, and Central Asia. The agreement aims to enhance collaboration to support Internet stability in Europe.

“This agreement represents another step in EuroISPA’s efforts to contribute to a reliable future for European Digital Users,” said EuroISPA President Romain Bonenfant.

The agreement, signed at the RIPE 91 Meeting in Bucharest by Hans Petter Holen, RIPE NCC Managing Director and CEO, and Alex de Joode, EuroISPA Board Member, and later, at the EuroISPA General Meeting, by Romain Bonenfant, EuroISPA President, focuses on developing technical insights and educational materials on how the Internet functions, promoting best practices and technical standards, and encouraging evidence-based policymaking in line with a multistakeholder approach to Internet governance.

EuroISPA Board Member Alex de Joode affirmed that, “The value of bringing together the resources including knowledge, talents, and practices that EuroISPA and RIPE NCC have been developing over many years is essential to ensure Internet stability in Europe. EuroISPA and RIPE NCC are two of the most important organisations in this area, and such a collaboration can only bring good things for Europe’s Digital Future.”

About EuroISPA

Established in 1997, EuroISPA is the world’s largest association of Internet Services Providers Associations, representing over 3,300 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) across the EU and EFTA countries. EuroISPA is recognised as the voice of the EU ISP industry, reflecting the views of ISPs of all sizes from across its member base.

Download the Press Release here

EuroISPA appointed new Board at General Meeting

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Brussels, 18 November 2025 – EuroISPA, the pan-European association of Internet Service Provider Associations, appointed its new Board, including the Association’s President, Vice-President, and Treasurer, during its latest General Meeting in Brussels.

The new Board leadership includes Romain Bonenfant of Fédération Française des Télécoms as President, Lars Steffen of eco as Vice-President, and Dalia Coffetti of AIIP as Treasurer, alongside Stefan Ebenberger from ISPA Austria and Alex de Joode from AMS-IX as Board members. The Board is responsible for coordinating the activities and budget of the Association.

Romain Bonenfant spoke on his appointment as President of EuroISPA: “I am honored to take on the role of President after several years of active involvement on EuroISPA’s Board. We will stay true to our mission to represent Internet Service Providers by providing our technical expertise to EU institutions and stakeholders, and supporting our members through shared knowledge and best practices. Our strength lies in collaboration; Internet Service Providers need a strong, informed and united voice in Europe.”.

Lars Steffen highlighted EuroISPA’s role in uniting ISPs across Europe, noting that collaboration enables common approaches and clear positions to shape balanced frameworks. Newly appointed Treasurer Dalia Coffetti added that she looks forward to supporting EuroISPA’s priorities and working with the Board to ensure their efforts deliver meaningful impact.

About EuroISPA

Established in 1997, EuroISPA is the world’s largest association of Internet Services Providers Associations, representing over 3,300 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) across the EU and EFTA countries. EuroISPA is recognised as the voice of the EU ISP industry, reflecting the views of ISPs of all sizes from across its member base.

Download the Press Release here

EuroISPA publishes its Vision for the EU mandate 2024-2029

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EuroISPA is excited to publish its Vision for the 2024–2029 EU Mandate, a strategic document that outlines a clear, actionable roadmap to strengthen Europe’s digital resilience, competitiveness and innovation.

In a time of rapid technological evolution and increasing global competition, Europe must pivot from being a “regulatory hyperscaler” to a continent that fosters investment, entrepreneurship and forward-looking policymaking. Our Vision identifies six key strategic priorities:

  1. Completing the Digital Single Market to reduce fragmentation and scale innovation.
  2. Simplifying regulation to empower disruption and reduce compliance burdens, especially for SMEs.
  3. Building secure and resilient digital infrastructure that supports technologies like AI and quantum computing.
  4. Defending European rights and democratic values, including strong privacy and encryption protections.
  5. Maintaining openness to global cooperation while safeguarding strategic autonomy.
  6. Advancing the green transition through smart digital sustainability and energy efficiency.

EuroISPA and its members remain committed to working closely with EU institutions and stakeholders to help shape a digital Europe that is open, competitive and aligned with core democratic principles.

Read the full Vision for 2024–2029 here: EuroISPA Vision for the EU mandate 2024-2029

PRESS RELEASE: EuroISPA elects new leadership at General Meeting

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Elina Ussa (FiCom) reconfirmed as President, Dalia Coffetti (AIIP) joins Lars Steffen (eco), Alex de Joode (AMS-IX) and Romain Bonenfant (FFTélécoms) as Officer of the EuroISPA Board

Brussels, 21 November 2024 – EuroISPA, the pan-European association of Internet Services Providers (ISPs) associations, elects new Board configuration during the General Meeting held on November 21, 2024, in Brussels.

EuroISPA is the representative body of over 3,300 Internet Services Providers across the European continent. Since 1997, EuroISPA functions as an ‘umbrella’ association representing ISP associations on policy and legislative issues and facilitates the exchange of best practices between members.

EuroISPA Council members gathered in Brussels for their last General Meeting of 2024, which saw the election of new members of the Board. Dalia Coffetti, of EuroISPA’s Italian member AIIP, was unanimously elected Board Member. She joins Elina Ussa (FiCom, President), Lars Steffen (eco, Vice-President), Alex de Joode (AMS-IX, Treasurer), and Romain Bonenfant (FFTélécoms, Board Member), who have been reconfirmed in their respective roles for another mandate of 2 years. The new Board will be leading the Association’s work until the end of 2026.

Dalia Coffetti, newly elected EuroISPA Board Member on behalf of AIIP, stated: “I am honoured to be chosen to serve in the Board of EuroISPA, to actively contribute to the day-to-day activities of the Association and promote the interests of its members. I am looking forward to sharing the experience, vision and needs of all ISPs daily engaged in the digitalisation of the European Union and who, over the last decades, have contributed to building a competitive and innovative ecosystem that is close to the needs of European consumers”.

EuroISPA is committed to fostering the growth of an innovative and fair European Internet ecosystem, encouraging the continued development of a free and open telecommunications market, as highlighted in the EuroISPA Manifesto for the EU 2024-2029 Mandate. The work of the Association in 2025 will focus on engaging with newly-elected EU policymakers to work together towards achieving a fully functioning internal market, a long-term vision on privacy online, a harmonised European strategy for cybersecurity, and legislative coherence for digital infrastructure.

Elina Ussa, re-appointed President of the Association, said: “I am honoured by the trust that EuroISPA members have decided to put in me once again. I am looking forward to continuing working with this dedicated group of Officers to contribute to the ambitious goals that we have put forward in our Manifesto. Continuity in leadership will be beneficial to the work of the Association in times of changing EU landscape our members are navigating in. I am also delighted to welcome Dalia to the Board of EuroISPA, our members can count on one more expert to lead the Association into 2025 and beyond”.

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PRESS RELEASE: EuroISPA welcomes new member, Whalebone

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Brussels, 25 September 2024 – EuroISPA, the pan-European association of Internet Services Providers Associations welcomes a new Forum member: Whalebone, a Czech developer of user-centric cybersecurity products. With Whalebone’s addition, EuroISPA’s Industry Forum currently allows ten companies with a legitimate interest in the Internet industry to participate in EuroISPA’s activities, acting in an advisory capacity and providing input on relevant policy issues.

Lorenzo Bracci, Account Executive at Whalebone, commented: “We are pleased to begin a collaboration of Whalebone with EuroISPA. As consortium leader of the DNS4EU project, Whalebone commits to the shared vision of a safe, private, and independent European digital space, thus opening new opportunities to both ISPs and their customers”.

EuroISPA is the representative body of Internet Services Providers (ISPs) across the European continent, creating a common voice aimed at promoting and protecting the interests of its members. Active since 1997, EuroISPA functions as an ‘umbrella’ association representing ISP associations on policy and legislative issues and facilitates the exchange of best practices between members.

Elina Ussa, President of EuroISPA, said: “We are delighted that Whalebone is joining our community as the newest addition to the EuroISPA Industry Forum. At EuroISPA, we highly value the input of companies, and we believe that Whalebone, with their extraordinary work on cybersecurity, will bring a topical perspective and represent a great addition to the activities of the Forum. This valuable enlargement of our membership strengthens our position as a prominent stakeholder and representative body in the sector”.

Established in 2016 in the Czech Republic with the goal of redefining digital security, Whalebone has since become the official provider of secure DNS resolution for the European Union and a globally recognised market leader in telco network security. Whalebone develops user-centric cybersecurity products for telcos, ISPs, and enterprises, and provides digital life protection to millions of everyday Internet users without the need to download anything.

Richard Malovic, CEO at Whalebone, added: “We believe that Whalebone contributes to a new standard, where the Internet connection itself would be the guarantor of security, and thus to be connected will mean to be protected”.

About Whalebone

Whalebone brings next-generation digital life protection to T1 telcos, regional ISPs, and enterprises all over the world. Their products already protect more than 400 companies and millions of their customers from malware, phishing schemes, and other malicious attacks targeted at all types of Internet-connected devices. Whalebone’s mission is to bring cybersecurity to 1 billion Internet users by the end of the decade.

For more information: [email protected]

PRESS RELEASE: Point Topic joins EuroISPA, the world’s largest association of ISPs, to foster cooperation on European digital policy development

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Brussels, 10 September 2024 ­­– EuroISPA, the pan-European association of Internet Services Providers Associations, officially welcomed its new Forum member Point Topic Ltd, a London-based broadband market intelligence house. With Point Topic’s addition, EuroISPA’s Industry Forum can now rely on nine companies active in the Internet industry to participate in the Association’s activities under an advisory capacity.

EuroISPA is the representative body of Internet Services Providers (ISPs) across the European continent. Founded in 1997, EuroISPA functions as an ‘umbrella’ association representing nine national ISP associations on policy and legislative issues and facilitates the exchange of best practices between members. EuroISPA engages at EU level on behalf of its members on a wide range of policy issues, including intermediary liability, data protection, cybersecurity and safer Internet. The association is structured around different, topical, Committees, which allow members to regularly exchange ideas and views on specific policy matters and dossiers.

“Joining EuroISPA is an essential step for Point Topic in strengthening our commitment to the development of a robust and fair Internet services framework in Europe. We are excited to contribute our data-driven insights and collaborate with fellow EuroISPA Industry and Council members to foster an environment conducive to innovation and competitiveness,” said Oliver Johnson, CEO of Point Topic.

Point Topic has been at the heart of European broadband data for many years. In addition to regular data gathering and analysis for a range of private sector clients, the company has run numerous projects for the European Commission and still contributes to the Broadband Coverage in Europe study with the latest in the annual series published recently.

Elina Ussa, President of EuroISPA, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Point Topic as the newest addition to the EuroISPA Industry Forum. Thanks to their extensive research and broad client base that includes ISPs, operators, policymakers, and academic institutions, I am confident that Point Topic will provide valuable advice to EuroISPA’s Council members, actively contributing to and enhancing our discussions on the policy issues impacting the European Internet industry and supporting us in achieving our goal of defending the interests of European ISPs at EU level”.

“At the core of what we do every day is bringing more broadband to more people.  We make a small but important and ongoing contribution to the spread of high bandwidths and all the benefits that come with it.  We believe our values align well with EuroISPA and their members and we are committed to supporting EuroISPA’s goals and collaborating towards a prosperous and interconnected European digital future together,” concluded Johnson.

About Point Topic Ltd 

Founded in 1998, Point Topic specialises in providing high-quality data and analysis on global broadband development. Celebrating its 25th year, Point Topic continues to be a key resource for industry data, influencing strategic decisions across the UK and Europe. Learn more at www.point-topic.com.

For more information: [email protected]

EuroISPA elects new Board Officers: new leadership and November General Meeting highlights

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Brussels, 4 December 2023 – EuroISPA, the pan-European association of Internet Services Providers (ISPs) associations, elects new Board Members during the General Meeting held on November 30th and December 1st, 2023, in Brussels.

EuroISPA members gathered in Brussels for their last General Meeting of 2023, which saw the election of new members of the Board. Lars Steffen, Head of International, Digital Infrastructures & Resilience at eco – Association of the Internet Industry, was unanimously elected Vice-President, while Romain Bonenfant, Managing Director at FFTélécoms, was appointed Board Member. They join President Elina Ussa (FiCom) and Treasurer Alex De Joode (AMS-IX) who are already one year into their mandate, in leading the Association’s work until the end of 2024.

Lars Steffen, newly elected Vice-President, stated: “I recognise the crucial role that EuroISPA plays in shaping policy and advocating for the interests of Internet Service Providers across Europe. Several current issues in the European Internet landscape are increasingly being handled at infrastructure level, placing EuroISPA in a favorable position to share the experience and expertise of its members to EU discussions. As Vice-President of EuroISPA, I intend to intensify member engagement and strengthen our links with the wider industry, raising EuroISPA’s voice even higher”.

Romain Bonenfant, newly appointed Board Member, said: “EuroISPA actively contributes to interactions with EU institutions both directly and through its members. I am deeply convinced that the EU level is the right level to influence the digital landscape we all work and live in, and I hope to positively contribute to the important work of EuroISPA with my new role as Board Member”.

The final General Meeting of 2023, which was held the day after EuroISPA’s 25th Anniversary Event, gathered members in person at EuroISPA’s office in Brussels. The two-day programme consisted of committee meetings, Association updates and strategy discussions for the year ahead, in addition to the election of new Board Officers. EuroISPA also welcomed contributions from guest speakers from the European Commission and the ALDE Party, who spoke on the future of connectivity, the upcoming GDPR review, and the run up to the 2024 European elections.

Elina Ussa, who recently took up her role as President, said: “We are delighted to welcome Lars Steffen and Romain Bonenfant to the Board of EuroISPA, especially at such a crucial moment with the European elections coming up. The Board can count on two more expert and dedicated people to lead the Association into 2024, and to contribute to the ambitious goals that we put forward in our Manifesto”.

EuroISPA is committed to fostering the growth of an innovative and fair European Internet ecosystem, encouraging the continued development of a free and open telecommunications market, as highlighted in the recently published Manifesto. The work of the Association in 2024 will focus on collaborating with EU policymakers to achieve a fully functioning internal market, a long-term vision on privacy online, a harmonised European strategy for cybersecurity, and legislative coherence for digital infrastructure.

Contact details

EuroISPA

38, Rue de la Loi
1000 Brussels

+32 2 789 6618

[email protected]

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