“This idea has layers. There is a very visible layer, which is simply synchronizing the auctions,” Pierrakakis said, arguing that reducing fragmentation and moving closer to a single market would already be a big win. “The value for our champions and for our telecom operators is self-evident, before we go into the revenue discussion.”
He argued that a new paradigm is emerging in the wake of recommendations over the past years since the reports on European competitiveness from Draghi and fellow former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta.
Specifically, he cited the Capital Markets Union, the EU’s long-running project to create a single market for investment and finance, which has recently gained traction.
Still, even by his own admission, Pierrakakis’ idea of the new allocation of airwave revenue will be a tough sell.
“I don’t think it would win broad support,” a national government official said, granting anonymity to discuss an informal proposal. The official noted that countries would be reluctant to give up the revenue, and are likely to resist any attempt by the European Commission to secure a bigger role in spectrum coordination through the Digital Networks Act, which is currently under negotiation. “In general, letting the Commission collect spectrum fees is not something member states like,” echoed a second official from another government.
The lead negotiator for the proposal in the European Parliament, centrist Polish MEP Michał Kobosko, previously said in an interview that he didn’t want to stick to the “status quo that the government is taking this huge money from the operators and then nobody has any say in how the money is being used.”
