The Belgian Competition Authority (BCA) has announced the opening of an ex officio investigation into the proposed cooperation agreement between Proximus and Orange Belgium for the roll-out of fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) networks in Wallonia.
The deployment of high-capacity fiber infrastructure across Belgium is considered a strategic priority for the country’s competitiveness and long-term economic development. In line with this, on 16 October 2023, the BCA stated its intention to review any cooperation agreements between telecommunications operators relating to fiber roll-out. This position followed an earlier 10 October 2023 communication from the Belgian Institute for Postal Services and Telecommunications (BIPT) regarding such collaborations.
Building on these developments, Proximus and Orange Belgium signed a memorandum of understanding on 24 July 2025 to explore cooperation aimed at accelerating fiber deployment in less densely populated areas of Wallonia and increasing the use of existing gigabit networks.
In response, the BCA Prosecutor General has initiated an investigation under Article IV.39, 2° of the Belgian Code of Economic Law (CEL) to assess whether the planned cooperation could restrict competition between network operators and service providers, in breach of Article IV.1 CEL and Article 101 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), both of which prohibit anti-competitive agreements.
A key focus of the investigation will be whether the envisaged cooperation ensures that users benefit from a fair share of potential cost savings and efficiency gains. Given the significant investment requirements of fiber roll-out, the BCA has emphasized that the assessment will adopt a long-term perspective, considering the existing market structure, expected roll-out dynamics, and competitive conditions in the absence of the proposed cooperation.
The inquiry will be conducted in cooperation with the BIPT, in accordance with the Royal Decree of 8 May 2014 governing collaboration between the two authorities.
The BCA stressed that the decision to open the investigation does not prejudge its outcome.
