The European Commission is looking to accelerate plans for a single telecoms market, according to the Financial Times.

The commission will now publish a blueprint in June, ahead of its original autumn deadline, with the aim of implementing new regulations by the end of 2013.

Neelie Kroes, Europe’s digital commissioner, has made the creation of the Europe-wide market a top priority and is keen to ensure the plan goes before the end of the European Parliament’s current term. The next parliamentary elections take place in May 2014.

Details of the proposals have yet to be firmed up, said people familiar with the plans, but ideas under development include streamlined cross-border mergers and the creation of a single consumer market across Europe.

To underpin such changes, a European telecoms regulator could be required. Also, at a practical level, a single telephone number for the region, in order to cut out roaming charges, is possible. The idea is that national regulators would work alongside any new European body, said one Brussels official.

“My number one priority in 2013 is making sure we agree with governments the elements needed to deliver a real single market. Then we will use the rest of this Commission term to put as many of those building blocks in place as we can,” said Kroes (pictured)

European operators have argued against current regulations which have the effect of restricting consolidation, as well as making it hard for operators to set pricing that  matches investment need. This situation has been exacerbated by Europe’s economic woes over the past five years.

The EC aims to publish the draft proposal in October.