Legal Opinion Challenges EU Plan to Mandate Copper Network Shutdown by 2035 (heise.de)

• Legal opinion by former ECJ judge Mastroianni for Connect Europe finds EU's copper shutdown mandate unlawful.
• Opinion argues Commission exceeds competence, using internal market rules to pursue industrial policy.
• Forced shutdown without compensation seen as indirect expropriation, violating property rights.

"A legal opinion commissioned by Connect Europe, a telecom lobby group, concludes that the European Commission's plan to mandate the shutdown of copper networks by 2035 under the Digital Networks Act violates EU law. The opinion, written by former European Court of Justice judge Roberto Mastroianni, argues the Commission exceeds its competences by using internal market harmonization as a pretext for industrial policy. It also claims the forced shutdown without compensation constitutes indirect expropriation, violating property rights. The opinion questions the measure's effectiveness, noting consumers could switch to cable or mobile networks instead of fiber."