EU’s Breton likely to set out strategy on Big Tech, telco funding debate next year, sources say

BRUSSELS : EU industry chief Thierry Breton will likely set out a strategy next year requiring Big Tech to help fund the rollout of 5G and broadband across Europe, leaving it to the next European Commission to decide whether to adopt legislation, people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. 

Europe’s telecoms operators say Alphabet’s Google, Meta’s Facebook, Netflix, Microsoft and Amazon should bear some of the costs because they use a huge part of the internet traffic.

Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telefonica and Telecom Italia call it fair share funding while Big Tech says it amounts to an internet tax.