Italy’s communications regulator has classified content delivery networks as electronic communications networks subject to general authorization — a step critics say could enable paid interconnection disputes even as the EU has said it won’t impose network usage fees. The move lands as Donald Trump has publicly praised Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Truth Social.
Donald Trump recently promoted Giorgia Meloni’s memoir on Truth Social, lauding the Italian prime minister’s dedication to faith, family and country; Meloni thanked him publicly. Italian and international outlets documented the exchange on October 14, 2025. (repubblica.it)
On July 30, 2025, Italy’s communications authority AGCOM approved Delibera 207/25/CONS, concluding a public consultation that places content delivery networks (CDNs) within the scope of “electronic communications networks” under Italy’s Electronic Communications Code. The decision subjects CDN operators — and content providers that own, manage or control CDN infrastructure in Italy — to the Code’s general authorization regime and was transmitted to the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT) for follow‑up. (agcom.it)
What changes in practice remains limited for now. AGCOM’s measure does not itself impose “network fees” or intervene in the interconnection market, though it formalizes authorization obligations for CDN infrastructure. Industry coverage of the decision notes AGCOM explicitly said it was not introducing usage fees. (startmag.it)
Reactions have split along familiar lines. Italy’s telecom association Asstel welcomed the ruling as creating more even regulatory footing across the digital ecosystem. By contrast, a coalition of tech and consumer groups warned the step could, in effect, enable “network usage fees” via dispute mechanisms — a risk they argue would clash with EU–US commitments. (asstel.it)
At the European level, the European Commission said on July 31, 2025, that imposing network fees on large online platforms is not a viable way to finance broadband and 5G rollout. Days earlier, a White House fact sheet and a subsequent joint statement on the EU–US trade framework said the EU would not adopt or maintain network usage fees. (reuters.com)
Some industry advocates contend Italy’s approach could still become a blueprint to establish paid interconnection through forthcoming EU legislation (the Digital Networks Act). A September analysis and press statement by the Computer & Communications Industry Association (CCIA Europe) argue that reclassifying CDNs opens the door to mandated dispute resolution that could pressure content distributors into payments — a view the Commission has not endorsed. (ccianet.org)
Claims tying the AGCOM decision to China’s footprint in Italy’s 5G networks remain contested. Available reporting shows Telecom Italia excluded Huawei from its 5G core and has reduced reliance on Chinese vendors in radio access over recent years; there is no official confirmation that Chinese suppliers provide “more than a third” of Italy’s 5G infrastructure nationwide. (business-standard.com)
Bottom line: Italy has aligned CDNs with telecom‑network rules via a general authorization requirement. Whether that step materially burdens US streaming platforms will depend on implementation and on EU‑level policy, which currently rejects network usage fees even as debate over interconnection and the Digital Networks Act continues. (reuters.com)
