Reflecting on the 21st European Spectrum Management Conference and European D2D Policy Forum

The future architecture of Europe’s digital infrastructure, wireless spectrum governance and space-based connectivity took centre stage this June in Brussels as the 21st European Spectrum Management Conference and the European D2D Policy Forum were held back-to-back.

Held sequentially across three dedicated days from 17 to 19 June 2026, the conferences provided a neutral platform for EU policymakers, national regulatory authorities, international organisations and industry experts to examine key spectrum management topics and explore the wider issues shaping the emerging D2D ecosystem and future of spectrum policy in Europe.

Session 6: featuring Janette Stewart, Heidi Himmanen, Ferran Font, Diane Mievis, Christian Hoymann and Michael Sharpe

21st European Spectrum Management Conference (17–18 June)

The 21st European Spectrum Management Conference welcomed around 300 delegates and over 60 expert panellists to address the broader strategic roadmap for European spectrum management. Keynote presentations delivered by Renate Nikolay (Deputy Director General, DG CNECT, European Commission), Julia Inmaculada Criado Casado (Chair, RSPG) and Mario Maniewicz (Director, Radiocommunication Bureau, ITU) highlighted the legislative transition currently facing European spectrum policy.

Central to the agenda was an in-depth examination of the spectrum pillars within the proposed Digital Networks Act:

• Governance and Oversight: Exploring proposed institutional changes, including the prospective role of the Office for Digital Networks (ODN), the evolution of the RSPG and balancing EU-level coordination with national competence.
• Licensing and Award Models: Debating long-term and potential indefinite licensing structures, "use-it-or-share-it" mechanisms and Union-level authorisation framework options for satellite networks.
• Mid-Band and 6G Roadmaps: Examining post-RSPG Opinion scenarios for the upper 6 GHz band (6.425–7.125 GHz), transatlantic strategy divergence and identifying pioneer frequencies for 6G deployment by 2030.
• WRC-27 Preparations: Reviewing regional alignment across CEPT Conference Preparatory Group (CPG) agenda items and RSPG draft recommendations.
• Sharing, Verticals, and Sub-700 MHz: Assessing local spectrum models in the 3.8–4.2 GHz range for private industrial networks, dynamic sharing scalability and post-2030 transitions for the 470–694 MHz band between DTT, PMSE, and mobile services.

EU Spectrum concluded with a networking reception, kindly hosted by Broadcast Networks Europe 

Watch the highlights video here:

Stay informed on future editions of this event here.

European D2D Policy Forum (19 June)

Directly following the European Spectrum Management Conference, the European D2D Policy Forum took place on 19 June, focusing on the rapid evolution of Direct-to-Device (D2D) satellite services from technical concept to commercial reality. Keynotes from Mario Maniewicz (ITU) and Gerasimos Sofianatos (Head of Unit – Radio Spectrum Policy, European Commission) framed the policy context surrounding non-terrestrial networks (NTN), spectrum allocation and international harmonisation.

Gerasimos Sofianatos (Head of Unit – Radio Spectrum Policy, European Commission) delivers an opening keynote address

Sessions throughout the day drilled down into the policy choices required to preserve the integrity of the Single Market while accelerating deployment:

• Single Market Coherence: Assessing national authorisation models, the EU’s MSS regulation proposal and alignment with the Digital Networks Act.
• Global Policy Models: Examining regulatory case studies from Ofcom (UK), the FCC (US), and NCEC/Kyivstar (Ukraine).
• Technical Foundations: Analysing compatibility studies within CEPT FM44, 3GPP standardisation and interference safeguards between terrestrial IMT networks and satellite transmitters.
• Commercial Pathways: Evaluating hybrid MSS/IMT approaches, vertical use cases and wholesale partnership structures between mobile network operators and satellite providers.

Session 3: featuring Cameron Currin, Amar Saidani, Julia Inmaculada Criado Casado, Ferran Font, Amy Mehlman and Eiman Mohyeldin

Watch the highlights video here:

Stay informed on future editions of this event here.

Both conferences reinforced that establishing legal certainty, investment predictability and technological neutrality will be essential as Europe navigates its digital transition toward 2030 and beyond.

For full event details and speaker lineups, visit the official event websites at spectrummanagement.eu and d2dpolicy.eu.

Sign up to receive updates on our upcoming policy events.

View upcoming events in the Global Spectrum Series here.