Majority of EU countries against network fee levy on Big Tech, sources say

BRUSSELS: A majority of EU countries have rejected a push by Europe’s big telecoms operators to force Big Tech to help fund the rollout of 5G and broadband in the region, people familiar with the matter said.

Telecoms ministers from 18 countries either rejected or criticised the proposed network fee levy on tech firms at a meeting with EU industry chief Thierry Breton in Luxembourg on Thursday, the sources said.

That echoed comments made last month by EU telecoms regulators’ group BEREC.

Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefonica and Telecom Italia want Big Tech to shoulder part of the network costs and have found a receptive ear in the European Commission’s industry chief Breton,