Majority of EU countries against network fee levy on Big Tech: report

A majority of EU countries have rejected a push by Europe’s big telecoms operators to force major tech companies such as Google to help fund the rollout of 5G and broadband in the region, people familiar with the matter said.

At a meeting with EU industry chief Thierry Breton in Luxembourg on Thursday, telecoms ministers from 18 countries either rejected the proposed network fee levy on tech firms, or demanded a study into the need and impact of such a measure, the sources said.

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