EU Commission eyes centralised spectrum policy in telecoms market revamp

The European Commission could seek to manage radio spectrum as part of a revamp of the European telecoms market as well as broaden existing rules to include Big Tech and ensure a level playing field for telecoms operators, the EU executive said on Wednesday.

The Commission said interested parties have until June 30 to provide feedback to its proposals called the Connectivity Package.

The move came after the EU executive said more than 200 billion euros ($216 billion) from the public and private sector are needed to roll out 5G and broadband across the 27-country bloc.

The overhaul could include “a more harmonised approach to authorisation procedures of telecoms operators, a more integrated governance at Union level for spectrum and possible changes in wholesale access policy”, the Commission said in a statement.

Earlier this week, EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager dismissed any suggestion that she would loosen merger rules for telecoms mergers, saying that setting up a centralised spectrum management database and removing other barriers would better benefit the telecoms sector.

In a nod to telecoms providers’ push for Alphabet’s Google GOOGL.O, Meta META.O, Amazon AMZN.O, Netflix NFLX.O, Apple AAPL.O and Microsoft MSFT.O to bear some of the 5G rollout costs, the Commission said measures were needed to ensure a level playing field.

It said it may “rethink the scope of application and objectives of its current regulatory framework”. Nasdaq