Brussels, 25/09/2007 (Agence Europe) - On 13 November, the European Commission will present its proposal to improve competitiveness in the telecoms sector. Among the measures proposed by Information Society Commissioner, Viviane Reding will be separate functioning of the telecommunications network (namely, separation of services and the networks) and the setting up of a European regulator who will coordinate national policies. On Tuesday the Commission explained, through spokesperson Pia Ahrenkilde, that this initiative was part of the European Union global strategy for creating a business and consumer friendly internal market. In reply to a question about possible tensions between Ms Reding and the commissioner for competition, Neelie Kroes, and the commissioner for industry, Günter Verheugen, Ahrenkilde stressed that discussions with the commissioner about the new legislative proposals are “perfectly normal”. Rumours have insinuated that there is dissent among the three commissioners. Kroes and Verheugen consider that functional separation would lead to more bureaucracy and could lead to operators differing their investment in fibre optics (Ed: an opinion shared by telecom operators who expressed their fears to the Commission). They consider that the creation of a European electronic communications regulatory authority could become a source of confusion. Reding's spokesperson, Martin Selmayr, explained that the Commission still held to the spirit of reducing bureaucracy. He explained that in order to promote the entry of new operators in the sector, Reding was in favour of separating networks from services but without forcing ownership unbundling. Mr Selmayr said that the target remains one of deepening the process of liberalisation initiated in most member states years ago, and facilitating access to the networks of dominant operators, which would result in stimulating cross border services and improving coordination between national regulators. (il)