Jean-Claude Juncker seeks to open door for EU telecoms deals

Europe’s telecom companies could soon be getting what they have long been begging for: looser European Union competition rules that would finally allow them to consolidate and boost profitability. Jean-Claude Juncker, a leading candidate to become the next European Commission president this year, said the EU had to rethink its competition rules for the digital sector to allow dealmaking to occur more freely across the bloc.

Speaking during his European-wide campaign trail in Finland, Juncker said: “A first thing we should do is rethink the application of our competition rules in digital markets.” Opening the door to consolidation in the fragmented European telecoms market would be key for the industry, which has repeatedly lobbied the commission for an easing of competition rules.