Speaking at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, Murta claimed that consolidation is key to strengthening Europe’s technological position.
“It is time for large European telecom companies to be allowed to consolidate and grow to create technological capacity,” he said.
“This decision would be key for the future of Europe and would generate favourable effects for society. This can strengthen European strategic autonomy, unlock productivity, and improve ordinary people’s lives.”
Meanwhile he acknowledged that while telecom operators must adapt, European regulators and policymakers also need to adjust their policies to support consolidation.
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He continued: “If this does not happen, we think Europe’s position in the world will continue to dwindle and will not have the capacity to decide our future autonomously”.
Murtra also highlighted the role of telecom in Europe’s tech growth but warned that excessive regulation and industry fragmentation are holding the region back.
Instead, he stated that other regions, such as the US, the Middle East and Asia, benefit from more favourable conditions, allowing companies to scale up and innovate.
“We are now in a new era where titanic technological companies are, again, sharply driving change. These giants work as dominant players in near monopoly markets, have deep knowledge and are more capable than they were 20 years ago,” he concluded.
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