EU transport, telecommunications and energy ministers meeting on 9 June 2026 under the Cyprus Presidency adopted a general approach on the European Business Wallets proposal but failed to reach consensus on the Digital Networks Act (DNA) and the cybersecurity package, exposing persistent divisions over the balance between EU-level harmonisation and national flexibility.
On business wallets, ministers broadly supported the initiative as a tool to reduce administrative burdens and facilitate cross-border activity. However, many delegations insisted the wallet should complement, not replace, existing national systems. Poland, Estonia, Malta, Croatia, Spain, Latvia, Portugal, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Austria, and Slovakia stressed the need for interoperability and voluntary use. Germany supported harmonisation but reserved its position on cybersecurity and equivalency for trilogue negotiations. France saw the wallet as a simplification tool for the 28th regime. Finland urged integration with enterprise systems and AI. Cyprus recorded unanimous backing for the general approach.
On the DNA, disputes over harmonisation depth and national flexibility prevented adoption. Germany argued the proposal does not sufficiently reduce bureaucracy and may add complexity. France contended the balance was wrong, transferring security and sovereignty competences to the Commission. Spain, Finland, Latvia, Estonia, Hungary, Slovenia, Sweden, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Portugal, and Slovakia pushed for national discretion on spectrum, security, and the single passport. Many delegations called for simplification of the single passport and avoidance of new administrative layers. Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty Henna Virkkunen defended the updated general authorisation and single passport as necessary to reduce fragmentation.
On the cybersecurity package, the trusted ICT supply-chain framework proved the most sensitive chapter. Virkkunen defended it as a risk-based method to de-risk critical supply chains. Portugal, Poland, Finland, Estonia, Czechia, Sweden, the Netherlands, and France supported stronger EU coordination but insisted member states retain a central role in supply-chain decisions and national security. Many delegations backed strengthening ENISA as a complementary, not displacing, body. Ireland committed to steering work toward a robust, implementable text. Greece and Poland underlined the need for adequate EU funding.
Consensus emerged on strategic aims despite implementation disputes: wallets should complement national tools; DNA should simplify without adding layers; cybersecurity should strengthen EU capacity while respecting national competences. Cyprus handed the cybersecurity files to the incoming Irish Presidency.