The chief executives of the largest operator groups in the European Union called for a consistent digital industrial policy alongside measures to reduce the cost of deploying fixed and mobile networks.

A statement published by the European Telecommunications Network Operators’ Association (ETNO) and signed by the executives, outlined four focus areas to ensure optimal use of digital communications networks to drive industrial and societal change.

The executives called for a strategy backed by politicians, industrial leaders and other organisations within the economic bloc.

Measures proposed include a united industrial policy to help the region’s businesses compete on the global stage; measures enabling “European innovation” in data for IoT and AI; rules to lower the cost of deploing network infrastructure; and moves to address fragmentation in the telecommunications market.

The group said its aims would help meet wider goals outlined by new European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen in a speech outlining the priorities for her premiership last week (27 November). She formally took the role on 1 December.

CEOs backing the document include Timotheus Hottges (Deutsche Telekom); Nick Read (Vodafone Group); Stephane Richard (Orange); Jose Maria Alvarez Pallete (Telefonica); and Sigve Brekke (Telenor).