Group photo;
Credit: Stavros Ioannides/PIO
On Wednesday 29 and Thursday 30 April 2026, Luxembourg’s Minister Delegate to the Prime Minister, responsible for Media and Connectivity, Elisabeth Margue, represented the Grand Duchy at the informal “Telecommunications” Council of the European Union (EU), which took place in Nicosia under the Cypriot presidency.
According to Luxembourg’s Department of Media, Connectivity and Digital Policy Service (SMC), discussions focused mainly on accelerating the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in Europe, as well as strengthening the protection of minors online.
The SMC noted that Luxembourg highlighted its commitment to the rapid, responsible and large-scale adoption of trustworthy AI technologies, in line with the European strategies “Apply AI” and “AI Continent Action Plan”, which align closely with the “Accelerating Digital Sovereignty 2030” strategy.
Minister Margue stressed the importance of aligning national and European strategies and outlined flagship projects currently being implemented in Luxembourg in key sectors such as the public sector, cybersecurity, culture and space, while also promoting the industrialisation of use cases through initiatives such as the AI Factory established in Luxembourg, said the SMC. She also emphasised the need for coordinated governance and strategic investment, particularly to support start-ups, SMEs and scale-ups in deploying AI solutions on a large scale, as well as to strengthen deep tech capabilities.
Minister Margue stated: “Agility must remain at the heart of our action. By further aligning our digital governance instruments at European level, we can not only reduce inconsistencies but also strengthen our collective ability to respond more quickly to technological challenges.”
On the protection of minors online, Minister Margue called for a “harmonised” European approach to what is inherently a cross-border challenge. She underlined that the multiplication of national initiatives risks fragmenting the internal market and reducing the effectiveness of protection measures. Luxembourg, according to the SMC, therefore supports the development of a European age verification solution that respects privacy, as well as the establishment of a common legal framework to determine the age of digital majority.
“The protection of minors online can only be effective at European level. We must ensure a safe digital environment for our children while preserving their fundamental rights and privacy,” Elisabeth Margue stated.
The SMC highlighted that Luxembourg also advocated for the introduction of a solid European legal basis to impose clear obligations on online platforms, particularly the largest ones, in order to strengthen their responsibility in protecting the most vulnerable users.
However, Minister Margue announced that “if a strong European solution is not in place before the end of this year, Luxembourg will adopt national legislation.”
Discussions also covered strengthening the resilience of critical infrastructure against cyber threats and systemic risks, as well as the future of the 2GHz MSS spectrum band, said the SMC, adding that, on this latter point, Minister Margue advocated for a balanced approach that takes into account the expertise of European stakeholders as well as the realities of the global direct-to-device connectivity market.
