Europe’s telecommunications commissioner will lay down a series of reforms this year to support the formation of a pan-European telecoms market to foster greater competition and investment in a sector hard hit by the financial downturn.

Neelie Kroes, a vice-president of the commission, said Brussels was determined to deliver the necessary policies to further harmonise the industry across national borders.

“We’re working on a range of measures to create common and stable conditions across the EU for telecoms competition, investment and growth,” Ms Kroes said, “which should make cross-border consolidation more attractive.

“Various forms of asset- sharing can promote competition and investment – regulated access to dominant infrastructure on terms that support further investment by all players, access to other utilities’ infrastructure on reasonable terms, sharing of wireless assets such as masts or spectrum under clear conditions.”

Etno, the industry lobby group, said telecoms companies would now present their findings about the possible creation of a single European market to Ms Kroes. – Copyright The Financial Times Ltd 2013