Orange Business will supply the core network infrastructure for TESTA-EIRIS (Enhanced Infrastructure for Reliable Interconnectivity and Security), a European Union project to build a secure, private communications network serving public administrations across EU Member States.

The contract puts Orange Business in the role of network partner for one of the EU's most sensitive interconnection programmes. TESTA-EIRIS aims to modernise the bloc's digital communications infrastructure by securely connecting EU institutions, agencies and Member States. Orange Business will provide the core network services required to run the infrastructure and support its future growth.

The operator will work alongside the European Commission's Directorate-General for Digital Services (DG DIGIT), the body responsible for designing, building and managing the wider system. This division of labour is significant: DG DIGIT retains architectural control of a network that carries traffic between national administrations, while Orange Business delivers and operates the underlying transport.

The network will include at least 12 Points of Presence (PoPs) spread across five European regions, according to the company. Orange Business will back the main network infrastructure with dedicated Network and Security Operating Centres, providing round-the-clock operational and security oversight of the platform.

Technically, the system combines network infrastructure, cloud connections and VPN technology to connect sites securely across Europe. The design goal is twofold: improve security and make it easier for public administrations across the continent to connect and exchange information.

The commercial context matters here. Orange Business, the enterprise arm of the Orange Group, has been repositioning itself around what it calls trusted connectivity, cloud and AI services, and a contract with DG DIGIT fits squarely into that strategy. Public-sector and inter-institutional networks of this kind are typically multi-year engagements, though neither the contract value nor its duration has been disclosed.

Richard van Wageningen, President for Europe at Orange Business, framed the win in strategic terms. "As reliance on digital technologies increases and cyber threats continue to evolve, the EU has placed digital trust at the heart of its strategic priorities," he said.

"Core to the TESTA-EIRIS backbone project is the drive to build a secure, trusted European digital ecosystem. Orange Business is proud to be chosen to deliver this robust, adaptable, and future-proof infrastructure to support the EU's critical needs."

The award also reflects a broader EU policy shift. Brussels has made digital sovereignty a stated priority, favouring European suppliers for infrastructure it deems strategically important, and the TESTA-EIRIS backbone sits squarely within that push. As cyber threats targeting government networks have intensified, the EU has moved to upgrade the legacy inter-administration links that TESTA previously provided.

For Orange Business, the immediate task is deployment: standing up the 12-plus PoPs across five regions and bringing the Network and Security Operating Centres online, in coordination with DG DIGIT's build-out of the wider system. The project's stated aim of supporting future growth suggests the network's capacity and reach will expand as more EU institutions and Member State administrations connect to it.