Energis has shrugged off reports that Dutch telco KPNQwest has singled it out as a possible takeover target.

KPNQwest's financial director, Willem Ackermans, told Het Financieele Dagblad: "On paper, Energis is the best takeover candidate for us.

"They're looking for a market in Europe and we are looking in the UK."

According to AFX News, Ackermans denied weekend reports that KPNQwest was also interested in Easynet, Redstone and Fibernet.

A spokesman for Energis told The Register this morning that this was little more than "theorising".

"There's no substance to it," he said, adding that Energis was "not actively looking for a partner".

KPNQwest is a joint venture between US outfit Qwest and Dutch telco KPN.

In September KPNQwest announced it would install its equipment in BT local exchanges to offer broadband DSL services in the UK.

Six weeks later it pulled out of all local loop projects across Europe ditching plans to offer DSL services.

Elsewhere, reports that Energis could lose its contract with Le Freeswerve to provide telco services could be a trifle rich.

Energis has a fixed contract with Le Freeswerve until 2003. ®