Warns that the application of regulation in Europe must boost competitiveness and not generate fragmentation between markets
MADRID, 28 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The general director of the Spanish Association of the Digital Economy (Adigital), César Tello, believes that Spain must increase its presence and “have more voice” in Brussels to take advantage of the opportunity to become a leading digital ‘hub’ on the continent, especially a few months before the European elections that will take place at the beginning of June.
“Europe is important. It has more importance than it is generally given, but this year, which is an election year, we believe that focus should be placed on the role of technology, innovation, on the opportunity to convert Spain into a leading digital ‘hub’ in Europe, not only in southern Europe,” the manager said in an interview with Europa Press.
A year ago, at the beginning of 2023, Adigital opened its office in the Belgian capital to promote the projection of Spain as a digital ‘hub’ and, in Tello’s opinion, in Brussels there is a “feeling” that Spain is progressing in “all areas”. digitization indices” while other countries “have stagnated”, “probably also because they had greater maturity”, he clarified.
The manager has also argued that the importance of having a greater presence in Brussels is linked to the fact that in the coming years it will be established how the new regulation linked to the digital and technological sector is applied, so it becomes more important to be close to where they are taken. the decisions.
“We have to ensure that (the application of the regulation) is done correctly so as not to slow down competitiveness, that it is done in a homogeneous way so as not to generate market fragmentation, that we do not go crazy in each of the countries and, above all, continue promoting investment in innovative companies,” he highlighted.
“We must encourage public figures who go to the (European) elections to also carry this in their portfolio, to be more vocal (…) We want Spain’s competitive position to be more representative in Brussels, for us to have more voice , greater impact and more presence in general,” he added.
Tello has also warned of the risks of applying excessive regulation and surveillance to innovations such as artificial intelligence to the technological and digital ecosystem.
The manager gives the ‘teleco’ sector in the EU as an example: “It is suffering and now there is talk at the European level that perhaps competition should be reviewed and allowing there to be ‘telecos’ that take up more space because the investment that “It’s going to be required in infrastructure, it’s going to be very important.”
In this sense, the main companies in the European ‘telco’ sector have long been demanding deregulation of this industry in order to increase their competitiveness.
In fact, the president of Telefónica, José María Álvarez-Pallete, recently pointed out that of the 50 largest companies in the information and communication technologies (ICT) sector in the world, only five are European.
