Spain: Telcos demand EU merger flexibility
October 16, 2023
From David Del Valle in Madrid
Spain’s three largest telcos – Telefónica, Vodafone and Orange – have urged the EU for a more flexible legal framework that eases mergers in order to face the substantial investments needed in the sector.
In a conference organised by El Economista, the president of Telefónica Esoaña, Emilio Gayo, said that the current legislation “is obsolete, from an analogic century for a digital era” that hinders the existence of big operators -contrary to the US case – and therefore makes it difficult to face large network investments.
“We demand competition authorities, politicians and institutions to do their best to create strong operators with enough critical mass,” asserted Gayo.
Diego Martinez, director of Residential Division at Orange, said that “an enormous investment effort is needed and we need a legal framework that allows us a sustainable investment”.
Mario Vaz, CEO of Vodafone, urged the EU to change the “last century legislation” to really have “strong players and technological autonomy for States”.