Shaping the Future:
Insights from the Regulatory Working Group at Euro-IX Forum
39th Forum Prague: Shaping the Future Blog - 20 November, 2023 | Published - 26 June, 2024
Following the dynamic discussions at the 39th Euro-IX forum held in Prague, NIX.CZ and Euro-IX convened a pivotal half-day workshop. This exclusive session delved deep into current EU-level dialogues poised to impact Interconnection and Internet Exchange Points (IXPs). Upheld under Chatham House rules, the workshop, chaired by Jaromir Novák of NIX.CZ and Innocenzo Genna of NAMEX, provided a confidential yet insightful forum. Here's a glimpse into the key insights shared during this crucial gathering.
1. During the regulatory workshop at the Euro-IX forum in Prague last November, there were presentations that touched upon key aspects of interconnection. Could you highlight one or two presentations that you found particularly impactful or revealing, and why they stood out to you?
The Regulatory Workshop in Prague was the first of its kind organized at EURO-IX and we are glad that we managed to organize it. We were pleased to have been able to invite the Chairman of the Czech telecom regulator, who presented regulatory activities (e.g. the development of 5G networks) and the national market and their EU overlap in light of the upcoming revision of the regulatory framework.
2. The panel discussion on the future of interconnection was one of the highlights of the workshop. What were some of the most compelling points or predictions made during this discussion, and how do they align with the current trends in the industry?
The panel discussion on the future of interconnection was an excellently moderated exchange of views between a representative of the classic telco world and representatives of content platforms. While participants from both camps remained unconvinced in their positions, they agreed on the basic minimum - that any regulatory proposal must not jeopardise the functioning of the Internet ecosystem and any proposal must be analysed and discussed in detail.
3. Following the workshop, were there any immediate actions or initiatives that were proposed or initiated to address the topics discussed?
Some of the findings of the workshop were used in the formulation of some of the arguments in the discussion on the fair share mechanism. The White Paper on the Future of Telecommunications is currently on the table and a public consultation is underway on the different scenarios that the European Commission has formulated on the eve of the revision of the European regulatory framework. Unfortunately, it is clear from the formulation of these scenarios that the outgoing European Commission has an appetite for regulating the peering world. It will therefore be necessary for the voice of reason from EURO-IX to be heard in this consultation as well.
To keep up to date on all Euro-IX activities, see the working group page on the Euro-IX website - Working Groups.
