Dear readers,

In the rapidly evolving geopolitical and technological landscape, resilience has moved from a technical consideration to a strategic imperative. This shift is reflected in the recent announcement by the European Commission, which unveiled a €115 million AGILE programme in March 2026—an ambitious initiative designed to accelerate disruptive defence innovation across Europe. By targeting technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum systems, and drones, and by empowering SMEs, start-ups, and scale-ups, AGILE signals a decisive move: innovation must not only be fast, but deployable, scalable, and resilient in real-world conditions.

This evolving priority is at the heart of this edition of Eurescom Message. It brings together a spectrum of perspectives that reflect sector expertise, practical insight, and long-term impact. From governance challenges to architectural transformations, the focus is clear—Europe’s ICT future must be robust, adaptive, and secure by design.

The Kennedy’s perspective forces us to reflect on how we interpret reality, often limiting our ability to see beyond personal bias. In today’s digital age, this challenge is amplified, highlighting the urgent need for more resilient and trustworthy ICT systems.

The invited article on the Dual-Use Drones and the European Governance Challenge alerts on the rising drone incursions across Europe and reveals a new dual-use threat built on civilian ICT infrastructure, blurring civil-military boundaries and exposing governance gaps. While strengthening resilient networks, spectrum management, and integrated 5G/6G capabilities is now critical for security and societal stability.

A glimpse from the 2nd EU-Japan Digital Week highlights shifting priorities and focus towards dual use technologies and even defence – policy workshop highlighted growing geopolitical risks and the need for resilient, trusted connectivity. Discussions focused on AI, quantum, and space technologies, emphasising joint R&D, interoperable standards, secure supply chains, and strengthened cooperation for a rules-based digital order.

At Mobile World Congress 2026, the European Commission launched EURO-3C (€75M) to build a federated Telco-Edge-Cloud infrastructure, strengthening sovereignty and resilience. This reflects shifting ICT priorities toward interoperable, secure, AI-enabled ecosystems that address fragmentation, support critical sectors, and ensure scalable, trusted digital infrastructure across Europe and Eurescom is committed to contribute to this strategically important initiative. With our long-standing experience in organising and supporting large-scale European research and innovation programmes, we ensure the smooth implementation and effective operational set-up of EURO-3C.

European policy and cybersecurity authorities have increasingly advocated for hybrid cryptographic strategies that combine traditional and post-quantum algorithms. The Eurescom led, EU funded FORTRESS project directly addresses this strategic challenge by developing a scalable hybrid secure boot architecture designed for Europe’s evolving digital infrastructure. By combining cryptographic research, and ecosystem collaboration, the project contributes to shaping secure and resilient European digital future.

The article on Strengthening Europe’s media sovereignty with the Future Media Initiative presents the growing gap between content creation and platform control and how this is a core issue for European media sovereignty. This shift from content creation towards the control of digital infrastructure, data, and monetisation now requires resilient, European-led platforms, stronger innovation capacity, and coordinated investment to reduce dependency on non-European tech giants and safeguard democratic influence, competitiveness, and trusted information ecosystems in an increasingly platform-driven digital landscape.

This edition demonstrates, Europe is actively reshaping how it approaches ICT—prioritising resilience, integration, and long-term impact. In doing so, it reinforces a fundamental truth: connectivity is never just infrastructure. It is a shared responsibility.

This edition is Special as we extend our sincere appreciation to the Director of Eurescom for his outstanding leadership and long-standing dedication to Eurescom. Over the years, his vision, commitment, and strategic direction have played a pivotal role in shaping Eurescom into a respected and impactful organization within the telecommunications and research community. Through his guidance, the organisation has not only strengthened its position but also expanded its influence, fostering collaboration, innovation, and excellence across diverse initiatives. Beyond organisational success, his leadership has inspired colleagues, partners, and stakeholders alike, leaving a lasting impression on all who have had the privilege to work with him. As he steps into a new chapter, we warmly acknowledge the legacy he leaves behind—one defined by growth, resilience, and achievement. We wish him continued good health, happiness, and a fulfilling future, with ample time to enjoy new opportunities and personal pursuits.

With this edition of Eurescom’s Message we continue our mission to reach the ICT European community for sharing insights and perspectives that shape the future of connectivity. We warmly invite your feedback and ideas for upcoming issues. Write to us at and let us know which topics you’d like us to explore next. Your input helps us make each edition more relevant, inspiring, and impactful.

Enjoy reading!

Pooja Mohnani
Editor-in-chief