Remarks by Executive Vice-President Virkkunen on the proposal on mobile satellite services

Ladies and gentlemen,

In 2008, EU Member States made an important decision. To give the European Commission the power to license a specific satellite spectrum band for the whole EU — the so-called 2 Gigahertz band.

This was a landmark decision. Because one of our strengths is our Single Market. And this decision allowed us to harmonise laws across all Member States and create one single, EU-wide authorisation for 18 years.

These licenses are now set to expire in May 2027. And that is the reason why I am here today. We now have to renew the selection and authorisation procedure of satellite operators who can use the 2 GHz band.

Before going into the details of our proposal, let me start with the very beginning. Why is the 2 GHz frequency band so important?

Because it is the foundation that allows to provide satellite and terrestrial connectivity directly to our mobile devices, ensuring that all areas in the EU, and namely those where terrestrial networks are unavailable, are equipped with voice and internet connectivity.

Satellite connectivity is also crucial for our governmental services and Europe's critical communications.

And there is also another important aspect of the EU 2 GHz MSS band: large networks of Low Earth Orbit satellites are becoming the space version of cell towers. They connect land and space systems, paving the way for future 6G mobile networks.

In short, this band is absolutely vital for our citizens, businesses, and governments alike.

After 18 years, Europe stands at a crossroads. We now have a rare opportunity to choose what we want for our future.

We want to boost Europe's competitiveness. We want to strengthen Europe's security. We want to embrace new technological possibilities. And all of this by taking into account the current changing geopolitical context.

And our proposal ticks all these boxes.

Today, we propose to establish an EU-level selection procedure for the assignment of spectrum. This will create one single secure satellite system for governmental and commercial use. This regulatory consistency will allow operators to develop and provide services across borders.

The spectrum is divided accordingly:

One third of the 2 GHz band is reserved for governmental use. This includes critical communications, security and military.

For these critical sectors, our proposal is very clear: They must be provided by an EU operator. Once selected, the operator will also ensure the future integration with the IRIS² infrastructure. Two thirds of the band would be reserved for commercial use. Think of in-flight services provided to airline customers, personal fitness trackers, energy monitoring, emergency respond devices.

Ultimately, when the service is in full swing, it provides to cell phones the same services that are offered by terrestrial mobile networks.

These two-third for commercial use would be divided equally: 

• One third for EU operators entering the market. This is crucial to encourage the diversification of suppliers and incentivise the entry into the market of European suppliers.
• And the other third for EU and non-EU operators.

This proposed Regulation is fully consistent with our proposed Digital Networks Act, and it is a major step forward for seamless connectivity also in challenging conditions.