Industry Commissioner Martin Bangemann warned yesterday that two-speed telecommunications liberalisation in Europe would have dire consequences for the countries left behind: If we end up with two sections in Europe, an area where infrastructure has been deregulated and another that has not been deregulated, we’ll not only have a two-speed Europe for deregulation, he told the European Parliament economic and monetary affairs and industrial policy committee – It will affect the entire economic development in Europe – countries that delayed liberalisation would fail to attract investment because data transmission would cost too much; he identified the doubting Thomases as Belgium, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain.
