The new DNA will replace the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC)

The DNA will replace the current European Electronic Communications Code (EECC), in force since 2018, and will consolidate various scattered regulations on connectivity, spectrum, and digital services into a single text. The aim is to provide the European Union with very high-capacity, more secure and resilient networks capable of supporting the next wave of critical services: from telemedicine to connected vehicles, industrial automation, and quantum cloud services (QaaS).

The DNA is set to become the new “constitution” of European telecommunications. The proposal provides for transitional periods for operators and authorities to adapt gradually, with many obligations being phased in over several years.

For companies, this means that 2026 and 2027 will be key years for anticipating changes and planning the evolution of their network infrastructures.

The standard reinforces the idea that the network is a key element for business continuity, with greater demands on availability, quality of service, and capacity, especially in critical sectors.

DNA is designed with remote locations, IoT, teleworking, and cloud applications in mind, pushing organizations to abandon legacy infrastructures and migrate to very high-capacity, segmented, and observable networks.

The DNA aligns with NIS2 (European cybersecurity directive for essential sectors and critical digital services in the EU) and with the revision of the Cybersecurity Act. Requirements for risk management, monitoring, incident reporting, and supply chain protection are increased.

As a Regulation, it aims to ensure that the rules are the same throughout the EU. It facilitates the procurement of uniform connectivity and security services and the deployment of common architectures in several countries.

The approach favors infrastructure conversion and sharing models, opening the door to joint projects with operators and technology providers (e.g., private 5G networks, SD-WAN, or SASE).

• EECC: Directive that each Member State transposes into its national law, resulting in differences in deadlines and requirements between countries.

• DNA: Directly applicable regulation that will replace the EECC and will also bring together the Open Internet Regulation, the BEREC Regulation, the European spectrum policy program, and parts of the e-Privacy Directive.

• EECC: focused on “traditional” electronic communications services and ex ante regulation of dominant operators.

   

• DNA: focused on “digital networks” in the broad sense (connectivity, cloud, digital services), seeks greater harmonization, and emphasizes investment, infrastructure sharing, and resilience.

For organizations that depend on connectivity, DNA involves making concrete decisions in the coming years. Some lines of action that companies should consider are:
 

• Review the current network. Assess whether the infrastructure supports critical business scenarios (teleworking, remote offices, OT/industrial environments, real-time services) and where bottlenecks exist.

• Identify legacy dependencies. Detect legacy technologies and architectures that will need to be modernized within a 2–3-year timeframe (e.g., inflexible point-to-point links, unsupported equipment, or equipment without advanced visibility capabilities).

• Prioritize cybersecurity and resilience. Align security plans with NIS2 requirements and your own DNA: risk management, network segmentation, continuous monitoring, incident response, and business continuity.

• Think European. If your organization operates in several countries, start designing a coherent network and security architecture at the EU level, taking advantage of future regulatory harmonization and the European services “passport.”

At Saima Systems, we closely follow developments in the Digital Networks Act to translate regulatory language into concrete technological decisions:

• We assess the extent to which the current network is aligned with the capacity, security, and resilience requirements driven by DNA.

• We design roadmaps for evolution towards very high-capacity network architectures, ready for cloud, IoT, and hybrid work environments.

• We align technologies such as SAIWALL, SD-WAN, SASE, and managed cybersecurity services with the new demands for protection, service continuity, and incident management.

If you want to analyze how the Digital Networks Act may impact your organization's network and what steps to take to anticipate this, at Saima Systems we can help you draw up that plan.

You can consult the official information and the complete proposal on the European Commission's page dedicated to the Digital Networks Act (DNA): https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/digital-networks-act