The European Commission plans to launch a public consultation on mobile payments next month, according to the EurActiv website which specialises in EU-related news. The paper will say the take-up of mobile payments in Europe is still low because of fragmentation, says the website. “The key market actors – mobile network operators, payment service providers, mobile phone manufacturers – have not agreed on a viable business model enabling interoperable payment solutions,”  according to a leaked version of the document obtained by EurActiv. The various players have reached “a stalemate”, says the document.

The paper adds that “private players controlling the standards and hence interoperability” will be dominant across the payment chain (device, app platform and security manager) leading to the risk of fragmentation caused by proprietary solutions.

The EC will publish its green paper on the subject on 11 January, the website says. The paper’s title is “Towards an integrated European market for card, internet and mobile payments” and it will look at the prospects offered by these technologies for the wider digital economy. Depending on feedback given during the consultation, the EC might consider measures to be introduced in 2013.

According to EurActiv, the document cites market research predicting an increase in the value of mobile payments from US$100 billion to US$200 billion between 2010 and 2012.