As 6G Approaches, European Commission Bets Millions on Continental Tech Leadership

Two of the three dominant global mobile equipment vendors are European, the partnership's governing board chair said.

Akul Saxena, Drew Clark

Mar 10, 2026 — 3 min read

From left, Erzsébet Fitori, executive director of the Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking; Damien Lucas, chief executive of Scaleway; Pallavi Mahajan, chief technology and AI officer at Nokia; and Bruno Zerbib, chief technology and innovation officer at Orange, speak in Barcelona

BARCELONA, March 10, 2026 — A European public-private research initiative committed €116 million ($135 million) to 20 new telecom network and artificial intelligence projects last week at the Mobile World Congress here. The group was seeking to secure the continent's leadership in sixth-generation mobile communications before a global standardization deadline in 2028.

The Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking (SNS JU) has deployed more than €500 million across roughly 80 projects since its founding. The initiative pairs the European Commission, the EU's executive body, with the 6G Industry Association, a consortium of telecom operators, vendors, and research institutions. The new funding targets AI integration, network architecture, and large-scale industrial trials across manufacturing, logistics, energy, and healthcare

Two of the three dominant global mobile equipment vendors are European, said Colin Willcock, chair of the SNS JU governing board, and the partnership aims to use that position as leverage for broader industrial competitiveness.

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EU MWC MWC2026 Ericcson Nokia European Commission 6G Colin Willcock Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking 6G Industry Association Pallavi Mahajan Damien Lucas Scaleway Bruno Zerbib Renate Nikolay Digital Networks Act European Chips Act Cloud and AI Development Act DG Connect