- within Law Department Performance and Antitrust/Competition Law topic(s)
EU
COMMISSION MAKES AVAILABLE €200 MILLION FOR SUBMARINE AND DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
On 17 March 2026, the European Commission opened two new Connecting Europe Facility calls worth €200 million for projects in high-capacity networks, including submarine cables. These investments are in line with the goals of the EU Action Plan on Cable Security and are intended to help ensure secure and resilient connectivity across the EU and beyond. The first call allocates €180 million for deploying or significantly upgrading backbone networks, improving the security, capacity and resilience of the EU's digital infrastructure. The second call allocates €20 million to projects delivering smart upgrades to digital infrastructure, enabling real-time monitoring to protect critical infrastructure.
COMREG
UPDATED GUIDANCE ON END-USER RIGHTS FOR ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS PROVIDERS
ComReg published an updated information notice setting out regulatory guidance for providers of Electronic Communications Services on end-user rights under the European Electronic Communications Code, as transposed into Irish law by the European Union (Electronic Communications Code) Regulations 2022 and the Communications Regulation and Digital Hub Development Agency (Amendment) Act 2023.
The guidance covers six principal areas: contract information requirements, transparency and publication of offers, quality of service, contract duration and termination, switching and number portability and bundled offers. The guidance has been updated to reflect recent legislative developments, including the commencement of the ECC Regulations in June 2023 and the Consumer Rights Act 2022.
TRANSFER OF 2.3 GHz SPECTRUM RIGHTS FROM BCP IV TO EIRCOM
ComReg published its Spectrum Transfer Determination approving the transfer of 40 MHz of spectrum rights in the 2.3 GHz Band from BCP IV Telecommunications OPCO Limited to Eircom Limited. Having assessed the transfer against the applicable substantive tests, and having considered submissions from Three Ireland and Vodafone, ComReg concluded that the transfer would not be likely to distort competition, noting that Eir would continue to hold the smallest overall spectrum holdings of any mobile network operator post-transfer. ComReg determined that the transfer may be put into effect from 2 April 2026.
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