The European digital regulatory framework provides safeguards for the continuing digitisation of economy and society in the EU and is therefore of utmost importance for Germany’s and Europe’s competitiveness in years to come. The advantages of a European Digital Single Market comprise the entire economy – not only the ICT sector, but also banking, automotive manufacturing, logistics, retail trade, energy and transportation, for example. In all of these sectors companies can significantly increase their connectivity, for example by using cloud computing, the Internet of Things and company-wide uniform IT processes. In particular, a European Digital Single Market (DSM) must serve not only consumer interests, but also those of the manufacturers, small and large. The following measures are particularly important: •C  reating a technical DSM. The EU must take on a leading role globally in the area of norms and standardisation. In modern information and communication technology the importance of a device depends on its ability to communicate with other devices (network effect). European standardisation must keep up with global technological advances and also achieve international recognition. We must pay attention in this regard that we do not counteract promising national initiatives already in place. We want to provide political coordination and back-up measures for standardisation processes. •C  reating a regulatory DSM. We must have a viable European telecommunications regulatory framework. Telecommunications markets and infrastructures in all regions of Germany and the EU must be allowed to develop dynamically and efficiently in order to remain competitive in the global market. The core elements of the upcoming revision of telecommunications regulation must in particular include flexible ap­ proaches in selecting regulation instruments, creating investment incentives for broadband deployment, appropriate use of what is known as over-the-top services (OTTs), a minimum level of harmonisation of consumer rights, upholding and perhaps simplifying the current universal service concept as well as optimising the institutional framework. •O  nline platforms and intermediaries must be involved in regulation such that competitive conditions are roughly equal for similar services. The largest online platforms are in a position to control access to online markets and exert substantial influence on the actions of other market participants and their ability to develop. For this reason we need comparable conditions for flourishing digital networks and innovative services. The first step must therefore be to ensure that the survey already underway at the European Commission on the role of online platforms is brought to a conclusion quickly, yet carefully, comprehensively and without preconceived notions.