(Telecompaper) Nokia has started talks with employee representatives on planned job cuts following its merger with Alcatel-Lucent. Expected to take place in the period through 2018, the workforce reduction will contribute to its target of EUR 900 million of operating cost synergies in 2018 from the merger. In addition to reducing overlap between the two companies in areas such as sales, R&D and corporate functions, the restructuring will adapt the organisation "to challenging market conditions and to shift resources to future-oriented technologies such as 5G, the Cloud and the Internet of Things", Nokia said. To start the process, Nokia representatives are meeting 06 April with the company's two European Works Councils.