European Parliament approval of an investment package for...
European Parliament approval of an investment package for pan-European digital projects and high-speed broadband networks “will help transform everything from movie theatres to operating theatres; from our transport to our tourism industry,” said Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes in a…
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Communications Daily is required reading for senior executives at top telecom corporations, law firms, lobbying organizations, associations and government agencies (including the FCC). Join them today!
statement Wednesday. The European Commission proposed the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) in 2011 as part of a multiyear funding program to support transport, energy and digital infrastructure projects, setting aside 9.2 billion euros ($12.6 billion) for CEF digital, of which 7 billion euros would support investment in high-speed broadband, the EC said. Last year, however, the Council reduced the CEF digital amount to 1 billion euros, forcing the EC to “fundamentally reorient its plans,” the EC said. The vote comes on top of political agreement on an EC-proposed e-identification regulation as well as a plan to cut the cost of broadband rollout, making it a “great week for the digital agenda, said Kroes.