Europaudvalget 2015-16
KOM (2016) 0180 Bilag 2
Offentligt
MINISTER OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS Henk Kamp
Bezuidenhoutseweg 73
2594 AC The Hague
The Netherlands
Dear Minister Henk Kamp,
Joint letter from Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Ireland,
Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovenia, Sweden and United Kingdom in
preparation of the Transport, Telecommunications and Energy and Competitiveness Council
meetings 26 May 2016
A stronger and more coherent Digital Single Market is essential to boost growth and jobs in all
regions across Europe. The benefits of the Digital Single Market can only be reaped if a high level
of ambition is maintained, if progress is made on all necessary elements and if we keep a positive
approach to digital disruption.
We share the vision of a Digital Single Market with a simple, transparent and stable regulatory
environment that stimulates digital entrepreneurship and spurs digitisation across the economy to
the benefit of business and consumers. The Digital Single Market should be characterised by
openness towards innovation and new business models, by stronger competition and minimal
barriers, and a favourable environment for new entrants. A market-based approach where
businesses do not face unjustified burdens, can operate freely across borders like they do in their
home countries, and all legislation is digital by default is equally essential.
We emphasise the importance of taking an evidence-based approach, basing new legislative
proposals on the Better Regulation principles and especially conducting sound and thorough impact
assessments to ensure a balanced and proportional level of regulation.
We encourage the Commission to move ambitiously forward in its efforts to remove regulatory and
non-regulatory barriers in the Digital Single Market taking the following into account.
Build a solid foundation for the digital economy.
For the digital economy to flourish businesses
and consumers must thrive in a trusted and connected digital environment.
We must provide a coherent and technology neutral data-protection regime without overlapping
regulation. We encourage the Commission to deliver an ambitious review of the e-Privacy directive
with the aim to repeal all elements that are no longer fit for purpose while ensuring the right balance
between digital products and services and the fundamental rights of data subjects across the
regulatory framework.
 kom (2016) 0180 - Bilag 2: Fælles breve til Kommissionen og EU-formandskab om digitale indre marked
Ubiquitous access to high-speed broadband and innovative communication services is an integral
part of the telecommunications review. The regulatory framework should be adapted to better spur
investments in high-speed broadband and promote competitive prices and innovative services by
removing all unjustified requirements
Strengthen the framework for digital innovation and entrepreneurship.
It is vital for European
competitiveness to take a positive approach to new advancements in digital technologies and
business models.
Online platforms bring new opportunities for consumers and businesses and content providers alike.
We should welcome their contribution to innovation and refrain from one-size-fits-all regulation
which would reduce competition and hamper innovation. In the first instance we should focus on
enforcing existing rules, such as consumer, competition, intellectual property and data protection
rules, and a balanced approach to intermediaries, to ensure that all businesses sectors, industries,
consumers and society as a whole are able to share the benefits of a vibrant, creative and innovative
platform economy. Alternatives to regulation should be investigated rather than adding new
burdensome regulation of businesses. Any regulatory proposals would have to be considered
carefully.
Europe can benefit significantly from new data-driven technologies if the right future-proof
regulatory framework is established. It should be ensured that data can move freely across borders,
both within and outside the EU, by removing all unjustified barriers to the free flow of data and that
regulation does not constitute a barrier to development and adoption of innovative data-driven
technologies. Furthermore addressing digital skills is important to achieve a functioning DSM.
Move the single market into the digital age.
As both consumers and businesses can benefit
significantly from cross-border e-commerce within Europe we need to step up efforts to make it
easier to trade online across the internal market and not impose new burdens on businesses.
In the long run we strive to remove the most significant barriers to cross border e-commerce
through common rules on consumer protection at a high level with aligned consumer rights online
and offline. Action on e-government including EU-level information exchange and cross-border
services can significantly reduce friction and administrative burdens.
Meanwhile efforts should be made to provide consumers and businesses with regulatory certainty
and easy access to information about existing rules. The Single Digital Gateway should contribute
to this through a user-friendly architecture and an improvement of the underlying instruments and
online procedures at Member State level. In addition cooperation between national consumer
protection authorities should be strengthened.
We fully support the attention the Commission gives to the Digital Single Market and the ambition
as it is outlined in the Commission’s strategy from May 2015 encouraging the Commission to
remain big on big things and small on small things. We look forward to continue to work with you
to strengthen Europe’s digital competitiveness.
 kom (2016) 0180 - Bilag 2: Fælles breve til Kommissionen og EU-formandskab om digitale indre marked
Kris Peeters
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister of Employment, Economy and Consumer Affairs
Belgium
Alexander de Croo
Deputy Prime minister
Minister for Development Cooperation, Digital Agenda, Post and Telecom
Belgium
Bojidar Loukarsky
Minister of Economy
Bulgaria
Ivaylo Moskovski
Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications
Bulgaria
Jan Mladek
Minister of Industry and Trade
Czech Republic
Troels Lund Poulsen
Minister for Business and Growth
Denmark
Lars Christian Lilleholt
Minister for Energy, Utilities and Climate
Denmark
Kristen Michal
Minister of Economic Affairs and Infrastructure
Republic of Estonia
Anne Berner
Minister of Transport and Communications
Finland
Olli Rehn
Minister of Economic Affairs
Finland
Denis Naughten
Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
Ireland
 kom (2016) 0180 - Bilag 2: Fælles breve til Kommissionen og EU-formandskab om digitale indre marked
Mary Mitchell O’Connor
Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation
Ireland
Kaspars Gerhards
Minister of the Environmental protection and Regional development
Latvia
Evaldas Gustas
Minister of Economy
Republic of Lithuania
Rimantas Sinkevičius
Minister of Transport and Communications
Republic of Lithuania
Xavier Bettel
Prime Minister
Minister for Communications and Media
Luxembourg
Etienne Schneider
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister of Economic Affairs
Luxembourg
Mateusz Morawiecki
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister of Economic Development
Poland
Anna Stre yńska
Minister of Digital Affairs
Poland
Maja Makovec Brenčič
Ministry for education, science and sport
Republic of Slovenia
Mikael Damberg
Minister for Enterprise and Innovation
Sweden
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Minister of State for Culture
United Kingdom
 kom (2016) 0180 - Bilag 2: Fælles breve til Kommissionen og EU-formandskab om digitale indre marked
Ed Vaizey
Minister for Intellectual Property and Digital Economy
United Kingdom
This letter has also been sent to vice-president Andrus Ansip, vice-president Jyrki Katainen,
commissioner Günther Oettinger and commissioner El bieta Bieńkowska of the European
Commission.