The European Commission has presented the Euro-3C project at MWC 2026an initiative to which it will allocate 75 million euros and which will be focused on the development of Europe’s first large-scale federated Telco-Edge-Cloud infrastructure, with the support of Horizon Europe.
This project will show the region’s capacity to fully offer cutting-edge digital services through its connectivity infrastructure, reducing dependence on suppliers from third countries. The infrastructure will combine telecommunications networks, edge computing and cloud infrastructure into a single integrated platform, bringing high-speed, secure computing power closer to end users.
In line with the objectives of the proposed Digital Networks Law, the project opens the door to opportunities that will strengthen the single European telecommunications market, in addition to increasing technological sovereignty. The solutions that Euro-3C will develop can be useful for many sectors of the economy, such as automotive, transportation, energy or public safety. In addition, it will constitute a boost for European innovation in 6G, AI, cybersecurity and telecommunications.
There are currently 87 members in the consortium that launched Euro-3C, a project that aligns with the EU’s broader strategic priorities, as well as the work of organizations such as IPCEI-CIS, the Joint Undertaking for Intelligent Networks and Services (SNS Joint Undertaking) and Europ HPC, to support European industrial competitiveness.
Among the main companies and organizations that are joining the Euro-3C project there are both telecommunications operators and cloud service providers as well as software developers, equipment manufacturers, research institutions and a wide network of integration specialists.
The consortium of companies that will participate in the project has among its most prominent members Telefónica, at whose MWC stand the announcement of the project was made, in a presentation that included the participation of Renate Nikolay, Deputy Director General of the European Commission; and Juan Montero, director of Public Policies, Competition and Regulation of Telefónica.
The event also included the intervention of Sebas Muriel, CDO of Telefónica, who explained the vision and objectives of the initiative. Likewise, representatives of other members of the consortium, such as Vodafone, Ericsson, or the Spanish SME Nearby Computing, have shared their perspective.
Euro-3C will deploy a federated multi-telco and multi-provider infrastructure in production environments, with more than 70 edge and cloud nodes distributed across more than 13 European countries. This network will allow us to offer advanced digital services with high performance, interoperability and security standards.
The project will have an interoperable architecture that connects existing capabilities of multiple operators and cloud providers in a common European framework, on a pan-European industrial scale and with collaboration between operators, industry, technology providers, SMEs and research centers.
Euro-3C also integrates advanced AI-enabled orchestration capabilities and interoperable services, ensuring the resilience and efficiency of the infrastructure, as well as its preparation for the advances and barriers of the coming years.
Renate Nikolay, Deputy Director General of the European Commissionhas highlighted that «The European Commission strongly promotes secure and developed digital communication infrastructures in Europe, with the aim of making the most of the telco-edge-cloud convergence, with and for AI. The EURO-3C project, funded by the EU and announced today, will federate the efforts of a wide number of European actors around a common objective: to build a convergent, secure and sovereign communications ecosystem, for the benefit of the industrial sectors that develop and use technology, as well as society as a whole.o».
Juan Montero, Director of Public Policies, Competition and Regulation of Telefónicahas also commented that «The European Union has made technological sovereignty and industrial competitiveness a priority. To achieve this, not only advanced digital infrastructures are needed, but also close collaboration between sectors and countries. And the telecommunications sector is a key player in this effort. This is precisely what EURO 3C aims to deliver: a European-wide cooperative computing network that brings together the capabilities of telcos, connectivity, edge and cloud, all enhanced with AI. This is a shared effort to strengthen Europe’s industrial leadership and lay the foundations for true digital sovereignty«.
