The European Union (EU) has been named the first strategic partner of the Global Coalition on Telecommunications (GCOT).

In its role, the EU will participate in GCOT discussions at different levels and endorse publications and initiatives voluntarily. It will also contribute to specific workstreams led by GCOT member governments, which include founding members Australia, Canada, Japan, the U.K, and the U.S.

An official statement from the European Commission framed telecommunication as “a key policy area for EU competitiveness,” pointing to network integration of AI, cloud, sensing capabilities, and satellite networks. The EU also touted international cooperation on key policy objectives such as the diversification of supply chains, sustainability, and 6G development.

GCOT was founded in 2023 as an informal multilateral alliance focused on the security, resilience, and innovation of global telecom networks. Sweden and Finland formally joined the coalition as full members during this year’s Mobile World Congress (MWC) event in Barcelona.

The body also recently launched a set of 6G security and resilience principles. Security recommendations for telecom operators included a push for zero trust-style security with strong authentication, as well as planning for quantum-related cryptographic risk. The principles also advised treating resilience as a core design goal, recommending an autonomous safe failover to alternative access networks, resilient timing and positioning systems that do not rely solely on the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), and careful use of AI to keep networks available during disruption.

Canada Industry Minister Mélanie Joly heralded the EU’s GCOT partnership as “a significant milestone in our shared efforts to build secure, resilient, and trusted telecommunications networks. Canada is proud to work alongside like-minded partners to advance policies, research, and innovation that strengthen global connectivity and safeguard the technologies that underpin our economies and societies.”