Summary Under the proposed Cloud and AI Development Act (CADA), when a Member State designates a data centre acceleration zone it would have to consider both current and future network connectivity capacity and the zone's capacity to support phasing out legacy copper networks. These two aspects, in Article 10(1)(c) and (d), are among the eight aspects Member States "shall consider" when designating a zone — so they shape, but do not by themselves guarantee, the digital links a zone offers.

Detail

CADA is a legislative proposal aimed at strengthening Europe's cloud and AI ecosystem by removing barriers to data centre deployment. A central mechanism is the "data centre acceleration zone" — a geographic area where building, expanding and modernising data centres would be facilitated through streamlined permitting and coordinated infrastructure planning. CADA is not yet in force; the points below describe what the text would require.

For CTOs and architects, the connectivity aspects are statutory considerations a Member State weighs at designation. Article 10(1) lists the aspects Member States "shall consider" when designating a zone — note this is a duty to consider the aspects, not a guarantee that every site clears a fixed threshold. Two of them address the network layer directly.

  1. Network connectivity capacity. Article 10(1)(c) lists "the available and future network connectivity capacity." The forward-looking framing matters: data centre bandwidth needs grow with AI workloads and data movement, so the proposal pushes authorities and infrastructure providers to weigh future capacity, reducing the risk that zones become congestion bottlenecks. This is consistent with the EU's wider aim of a robust digital backbone.

  2. Legacy copper phase-out. Article 10(1)(d) lists "the capacity of the zone to support the phasing out of legacy copper networks." Copper is bandwidth-limited and ill-suited to the low-latency, high-throughput demands of modern cloud and AI workloads. Tying zone designation to copper phase-out encourages fibre-optic or other advanced networks, putting new data centres on a more modern, resilient foundation.

These sit alongside the other Article 10(1) aspects — power grid capacity, waste-heat reuse, sustainability and so on. Connectivity and copper phase-out are distinct in that they address the input/output side: the ability to move data in and out efficiently. Without high-capacity, low-latency links, even powerful compute underperforms, especially for AI training and inference that ingest and distribute large data volumes.

The proposal also addresses connection procedures more broadly. While the permitting simplifications sit in Article 13, the infrastructure considerations in Article 10 are intended to ensure the physical prerequisites for connectivity are weighed up front. Separately, Article 12 gives operators a right to assistance from a single information point, which can cover applications for connection to communications networks. Together these create a more predictable environment for operators planning deployments in a zone.

Tying zones to copper phase-out also supports the EU's wider digital strategy. Replacing incumbent-maintained copper is capital-intensive and slow; using acceleration zones as a lever can help Member States accelerate modernisation, benefiting not just data centre operators but the wider economy through better broadband.

For architects, the practical takeaway is that network design in these zones should be forward-looking — designing for future upgrades and the removal of copper dependencies, which may mean redundant fibre paths, advanced routing and integration with next-generation network technologies.

What this means for you

For CTOs, network architects and SMEs assessing CADA's practical impact, the connectivity aspects in acceleration zones present both opportunities and imperatives.

  • Site selection: Prioritise sites in designated zones. Because connectivity capacity is an aspect Member States must consider, such zones are more likely to have, or to be planning, robust fibre infrastructure — lowering the risk of connectivity bottlenecks as workloads grow. Still do your own due diligence on the specific site.
  • Infrastructure planning: Design on the assumption that legacy copper will be phased out. Invest in fibre and ensure facilities support high-speed, low-latency links. This future-proofing is also a competitive advantage for demanding AI and cloud workloads.
  • Engage authorities early: Provide input to the bodies designating zones on your sector's connectivity needs — particularly low-latency requirements — to help shape the "future network connectivity capacity" considered under Article 10(1)(c).
  • Risk mitigation: Operating in zones that support copper phase-out reduces exposure to the higher maintenance costs, lower reliability and limited bandwidth of legacy infrastructure — supporting more predictable operations and customer SLAs.
  • Due diligence and strategic projects: The designation duty sits with Member States, but operators should track the criteria used in their region. A well-connected site can also help when seeking strategic-project status under Article 14, where contribution to Union digital-infrastructure goals is relevant.

Common misconceptions

  • Misconception 1: Acceleration zones guarantee immediate high-speed connectivity.

    • Reality: Article 10(1)(c) requires Member States to consider available and future connectivity capacity at designation. It does not guarantee high-speed connectivity at every site, though it pushes planning and permitting to prioritise connectivity. Operators should still verify specific-site connectivity.

  • Misconception 2: The copper phase-out aspect concerns a data centre's internal wiring.

    • Reality: Article 10(1)(d) refers to the zone's capacity to support phasing out legacy copper networks — the external telecommunications infrastructure connecting the facility to the wider internet, not internal cabling. It is a zone-level, ecosystem consideration.

  • Misconception 3: SMEs cannot benefit from these connectivity standards.

    • Reality: Improved network infrastructure and copper phase-out create a stronger digital environment for all businesses in the zone. SMEs and small mid-caps can leverage these zones to access high-quality connectivity without funding the underlying infrastructure themselves; Article 12 also has single information points pay particular attention to SMEs.

Related

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