BRUSSELS, July 25 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission on Wednesday proposed the removal of restrictions on radio spectrum for more advanced wireless services in an attempt to encourage their development.

    The idea is to open the Global System for Mobile Communications(GSM) frequencies for advanced mobile data and multimedia services, such as third-generation (3G) services that allow video streaming and fast downloads on a mobile handset. The GSM services will at the same time be preserved.

    This will increase the number and choice of wireless services available, and will expand their geographic coverage to the benefit of all European Union (EU) citizens, said the commission, the executive body of the EU.

    The measures will also reduce network deployment costs for EU's wireless communications industry, it added.

    "Radio spectrum is a crucial economic resource which must be properly managed across Europe to unlock the potential of our telecoms sector," said Viviane Reding, the EU's Telecoms Commissioner.

    "In the EU, we must therefore remove regulatory barriers and facilitate the deployment of mobile communications by allowing new technologies to share spectrum with existing ones."

    The EU, therefore, needs to repeal the GSM Directive of 1987, which allocates radio frequencies (900 MHz and 1800 MHz) exclusively to GSM services.

    "This proposal is a concrete step toward a more flexible market-driven approach to spectrum management in Europe. It will increase competition in the use of spectrum bands and enhance accessibility of European citizens to multimedia services," said Reding.

    The proposed repeal of the GSM Directive requires the formal approval of the European Parliament and EU Council of Ministers.

    The commission hopes that its proposed measures can be in place by the end of this year.