22 May 2026
On 12-13 May, ETSI officially launched its new Technical Committee on Critical Communication Systems (TC CCS), marking a major milestone in preparations for the future European Critical Communication System (EUCCS).
The committee held its inaugural meeting in Sophia Antipolis on 12–13 May 2026, bringing together representatives from the European Commission’s Mission Critical Communications Group (MCCG), public authorities, and industry stakeholders. Discussions focused on advancing interoperable, secure, and resilient mission-critical communication services across Europe.
TC CCS will oversee the maintenance and evolution of standards for both broadband and narrowband critical communications, while promoting closer alignment between the two domains. The committee is also expected to play a central role in preparing technical specifications and reports supporting EUCCS deployment by 2030.
During the meeting, Ari Toivonen of Erillisverkot (Finland) was appointed Chair of the committee. Renaud Mellies of ACMOSS (France) was named Vice-Chair for broadband activities, while David Chater-Lea of Sepura was appointed Vice-Chair for narrowband activities.
With the EUCCS legislative proposal expected later in 2026, the committee’s work is seen as critical to strengthening European cooperation in crisis management, emergency response, and law enforcement. Participants also highlighted the importance of harmonised standards to ensure interoperability, operational reliability, security, and cross-border collaboration across Europe’s future critical communications infrastructure.
More information: ETSI Press Release
