Summary Yes — as proposed, CADA requires Member States to consider a zone's capacity to support the phasing out of legacy copper networks when designating data centre acceleration zones. Article 10(1)(d) lists this as one of the aspects to weigh. It is a factor in zone designation by Member States, not a direct operational obligation on data centre operators and not a requirement that operators dismantle copper.

Detail

CADA establishes a harmonised framework to accelerate data centre deployment across the EU. A core component is the designation of data centre acceleration zones — areas where Member States streamline permitting and administrative processes to facilitate rapid build-out.

When designating these zones, Member States are not free to choose locations on land or power availability alone. Article 10(1) sets out aspects they "shall consider," to align deployment with the Union's digital and energy objectives.

Among these, Article 10(1)(d) requires Member States to consider:

"(d) the capacity of the zone to support the phasing out of legacy copper networks;"

This links high-performance computing infrastructure to telecommunications modernisation. Legacy copper networks are increasingly seen as a bottleneck for high-speed, low-latency services. By making a zone's capacity to support copper phase-out a factor in designation, CADA steers new data centres toward areas transitioning to modern fibre or next-generation connectivity.

This sits alongside other connectivity considerations. Article 10(1)(c) requires consideration of "the available and future network connectivity capacity." Together these help ensure data centres are not built in digitally isolated locations or ones reliant on obsolete infrastructure, which would hinder the cloud and AI services that depend on high bandwidth and low latency.

The rationale is twofold. First, it avoids "digital islands" where compute is stranded by poor connectivity. Second, it leverages data centre investment to drive wider benefits — better connectivity for local businesses and residents — by accelerating retirement of inefficient copper.

Importantly, this is a designation aspect, not a direct operational obligation on operators. The Member State assesses this capacity when defining and approving the zone. In effect, it guides investors toward regions where the wider digital ecosystem is upgrading, reducing long-term connectivity risk.

What this means for you

For CTOs, architects, and SMEs assessing CADA's practical impact, this provision shapes site selection and infrastructure planning:

  1. Site selection. Prioritise regions where authorities have a clear roadmap for copper phase-out. A zone lacking modern fibre may face long-term performance bottlenecks regardless of power availability.
  2. Connectivity resilience. Relying on legacy copper risks latency and reliability for AI and cloud workloads. CADA's emphasis signals a preference for fibre or advanced wireless backhaul; design for future-proof connectivity.
  3. Strategic alignment. Showing that your project supports local telecoms modernisation can strengthen a case for strategic-project designation or public support, as authorities are likely to favour projects advancing connectivity goals.
  4. Risk mitigation. Aligning with zones that support copper phase-out reduces the risk of being stranded with obsolete connectivity — important for real-time processing.

In practice, conduct due diligence on the telecoms landscape of any candidate zone, and engage local network operators and public authorities early on copper-retirement and fibre-deployment timelines.

Common misconceptions

Misconception 1: CADA forces data centre operators to dismantle copper networks. Reality: No. The duty under Article 10(1)(d) falls on Member States when designating zones — to consider the zone's capacity to support phase-out. Operators are not responsible for dismantling copper lines.

Misconception 2: This only applies to large hyperscalers. Reality: The designation criteria concern all projects deployed in a zone, regardless of operator size. SMEs benefit from the streamlined permitting, but should align their connectivity plans with modernisation goals.

Misconception 3: Copper phase-out is the only connectivity criterion. Reality: Article 10(1) includes multiple connectivity-related aspects — notably "available and future network connectivity capacity" (point (c)) alongside support for copper phase-out (point (d)). They work in tandem toward future-proof infrastructure.

Misconception 4: This is a technical standard for data centre design. Reality: It is a planning and zoning criterion, not a rule on internal data centre networking. It addresses the external connectivity ecosystem linking the facility to the wider network.

Related

This is general information about a draft EU regulation, not legal advice.