Comment Neelie (Kroes)

Whereas I agree with the need for a single market, we should take a minute to reflect about the co-incident events: 1. The NSA spying on Europe on behalf of the USA is an act of war. Cyberia is a constant battleground, exempt from the international regulations that prohibit undeclared warfare. Economic warfare is also fairly constant, as the prize of Hegemony is the lowest borrowing costs, which translates into the lowest funding of innovation, of R and D. 2. Trade negotiations with the US are being prepared, and suddenly there is a ruffle to get a unified, federal telecoms market also in the EU. Was it presented as a prerequisite by the US? 3. ATandT expresses out of the blue an interest in buying our EU flagship carrier, Vodafone. They would never consider this without a single market regulatory structure, although it could be a move to jump the gun on Verizon, or Asian challengers. It stands out, as such desires for an acquisition is usually kept silent. So, does it serve a purpose? Does it send a message to feeble EU negotiators, bowing to the Foreign Investor? The Foreign Investor is an important figure, but not if he spends 100bn on the acquisition and goes on to integrate Vodafone into his organization, shedding the doubles, while expanding his own network. Does that result in growth? Not at all! A wasted gesture, if there was one in the shadows of a Brussels Palace, somewhere, somehow.