EU and Russian officials talked spectrum and international roaming issues...

EU and Russian officials talked spectrum and international roaming issues in Brussels Thursday, a spokeswoman for Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes told us. Kroes and Russian Telecom Minister Igor Schegolev want to strengthen areas of cooperation in information society matters, she said. The two regions have set ambitious broadband targets which must be met, she said. The face-to-face meeting was part of an EC meeting with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and other members of the Russian government. Russia is Europe’s third largest trading partner and the EU is the largest market for and investor in Russia, EC President Jose Manuel Barroso said. One key topic was innovation, scientific and technical cooperation, where, he said, “we are speaking the same language.”