Relians was engaged by a leading European manufacturer specializing in the design and production of satellite reception antennas to carry out a high-level lobbying mission. The objective was clear: to eliminate a major fiscal obstacle that was impeding the development of a crucial digital technology—satellite internet. This high-potential sector is key to bridging the digital divide, especially in rural and underserved areas where traditional infrastructure fails to provide adequate connectivity.
Despite its strategic role, the deployment of satellite internet in France faced an outdated and disproportionate tax burden. A sector-specific levy, ill-suited to the realities of the digital era, was discouraging investment and inflating deployment costs. Relians was able to successfully dismantle this fiscal barrier, securing the repeal of a tax that was actively hindering digital progress—a breakthrough in support of both innovation and territorial inclusion.
Context and Strategic Stakes of the Lobbying Mission
In France, the fiscal framework governing satellite telecommunications infrastructure exhibited a deep and unjustified asymmetry. On one hand, satellite television antennas—widely deployed and familiar to the general public—benefited from favorable tax treatment, including specific exemptions or reductions. On the other hand, large parabolic antennas exclusively used for professional telecom applications—such as providing satellite internet—were subject to a much heavier and more punitive sector-specific tax.
This imbalance introduced a structural distortion between two types of functionally similar equipment. It created a clear disincentive for industrial investment, significantly slowed the rollout of broadband via satellite, and contradicted France’s broader policy goals of digital development, territorial cohesion, and technological inclusion.
The lobbying mission identified three core challenges:
- A discriminatory tax regime, penalizing telecom-focused satellite antennas despite their strategic role in expanding digital coverage.
- A market of critical importance, essential to ensuring universal internet access, particularly in rural, remote, or sparsely populated areas excluded from conventional wired networks.
- A rigid legislative context, where any tax reform had to be incorporated within the annual Finance Bill—France’s tightly scheduled and politically sensitive legislative vehicle for fiscal measures.
Our client, a major European industrial player in the space and telecom sectors, sought to modernize this outdated fiscal framework to unlock the full potential of its high-value technology across the French market—with positive implications anticipated at the European level.
Key Strengths of the Lobbying Strategy
Operating within such a tightly regulated and politically nuanced institutional landscape required a precise and multi-dimensional lobbying strategy. Relians was entrusted with the full design and execution of this strategic influence campaign. The mission demanded legal precision, a keen understanding of public policy dynamics, and carefully calibrated advocacy targeting the most relevant institutional stakeholders.
Our approach combined three mutually reinforcing pillars:
We began by conducting an in-depth analysis of the tax regime applicable to various categories of antennas. Our findings clearly demonstrated the inconsistency between the treatment of audiovisual antennas and that of telecom infrastructure. The analysis provided objective, data-backed evidence showing that the fiscal disparity lacked technical, economic, or legal justification.
On this basis, we developed a robust and credible policy argument built on three pillars:
- Tax fairness for comparable infrastructure use cases
- Economic efficiency aligned with digital development goals
- Coherence with national public policy, particularly regarding broadband access and territorial equality
This work provided the foundation for further action, demonstrating that the existing system not only penalized innovation but also undermined the government’s own digital ambitions.
With this argumentation in place, we developed and executed a targeted lobbying plan aimed at key decision-makers. These included members of Parliament involved in budgetary matters, ministerial advisors from the Ministries of Economy, Digital Affairs, and Territorial Cohesion, as well as senior officials from the Public Finance Directorate and regulators overseeing the digital economy.
Our strategy emphasized that the proposed reform would align private industrial interests with broader public goals—namely, extending high-speed internet access to areas underserved by traditional networks. We framed the issue as one of public interest, illustrating how the removal of this fiscal barrier would have tangible benefits for society.
Over the course of several months, Relians coordinated bilateral meetings, organized parliamentary hearings, and submitted technical policy briefs that contributed to building a cross-party consensus in favor of the reform.
- Strategic Communication and Public Narrative
In parallel with our institutional work, Relians deployed a communication strategy aimed at reinforcing the legitimacy of the proposal in the public arena. We built a narrative around the social impact of satellite internet, highlighting its role in:
Enabling remote education
Expanding access to telemedicine
Supporting e-commerce in isolated communities
Ensuring the continuity of public services in rural territories
This approach helped bring the debate into the public sphere and garnered the support of local elected officials, specialized media, and associations representing rural communities. The goal was to demonstrate that the reform wasn’t about tax relief for industry, but about empowering communities and reducing systemic inequalities in access to digital services.
A Successful Lobbying Outcome
Thanks to this comprehensive, multi-tiered mobilization, our proposal was formally included in the parliamentary debates on the Finance Bill. It was subsequently reviewed within the framework of an interministerial committee on territorial development, under the authority of the Prime Minister.
After extensive review, the French government formally acknowledged the measure as a legitimate and effective lever to promote universal connectivity and reduce digital inequalities.
Tangible Results
The result of this strategic lobbying mission was the formal repeal of the specific tax targeting large parabolic telecom antennas. These installations are now subject to the same fiscal framework as television antennas, thereby eliminating a long-standing regulatory injustice.
This success produced significant positive outcomes:
For our client: Simplified and more economically viable access to the French market, enabling accelerated deployment and investment in new infrastructure projects.
For end users: Lower deployment costs, improved broadband coverage in sparsely populated regions, and enhanced service quality.
For public authorities: A meaningful step forward in achieving digital equality and regional cohesion, aligning fiscal policy with national priorities on digital transformation and territorial development.
A Benchmark in Strategic Lobbying
This mission stands as a powerful illustration of how Relians transforms restrictive regulatory environments into strategic opportunities. By combining policy analysis, mastery of institutional mechanisms, and expertly crafted influence strategies, we were able to unlock a complex situation and deliver a solution that served both private and public interests.
At Relians, we are committed to enabling breakthrough initiatives in regulated environments. We help our clients overcome institutional obstacles and build mutually beneficial solutions—advancing innovation, supporting economic development, and reinforcing social inclusion.
This is what successful lobbying looks like: informed, responsible, and aligned with the general interest.
