Broadband and other wireless technologies across the EU should be able to share the use of the radio spectrum, the European Commission (EC) has said.

In a bid to meet the growing demand for mobile and wireless data traffic, the EC has launched a new Radio Spectrum Policy Programme which will aim to develop a coordinated European approach to radio spectrum sharing.

The scheme could lead to greater mobile network capacity and make wireless broadband cheaper, the EC believes, while opening up new markets.

As part of its package of proposed measures, the EC has urged national regulators to consider extending so-called licence-exempt bands, which are harmonised internal market bands where no licence is necessary, in a bid to support wireless innovations.

It also wants to see consistent regulatory approaches adopted in order to create shared rights of use that give incentives and legal certainty to all spectrum users.

Neelie Kroes, vice-president of the EC's Digital Agenda for Europe programme, said: "Radio spectrum is economic oxygen, it is used by every single person and business. If we run out of spectrum then mobile networks and broadband won't work.

"That is unacceptable, we must maximise this scarce resource by re-using it and creating a single market out of it."

European Communications is hosting a free-to-attend M2M seminar in London on 20 September. Click here to learn more