Library

The European Union has made available several funding and technical assistance instruments for the design and implementation of broadband programmes and projects in the Western Balkans. This brochure offers an overview of the main sources of funding and targets public administrations and private promoters involved in the development of digital connectivity in the region.

The Smart Villages concept is about improving economic performance and quality of life in rural areas, potentially via digital and other technologies. Smart village inhabitants gain access to knowledge, markets, social and cultural services, technologies and infrastructure that are usually only accessible to urban residents. In this video, Mario Milouchev, Director of rural development programmes 1 and pre-accession assistance in the Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development, explains the opportunities for rural areas, and highlights key EU projects connected to Smart Villages.

We are on the brink of a digital revolution. The question now is how we can adapt the CAP to this technological change. In this video interview, Mario Milouchev, Director of rural development programmes 1 and pre-accession assistance in the Directorate General for Agriculture and Rural Development, explains the measures being taken by the EU, including funding for rural connectivity and development; research and innovation; and digitising and transforming European industry and services.

The 2018 Activity Report of the European Broadband Competence Offices (BCOs) Network presents the year’s knowledge-sharing and capacity-building programme under the objectives of: connecting, sharing knowledge and building capacity; growing at regional level; and strengthening the Network. The programme included events, publications and video interviews dedicated to increasing the capacity of European BCOs to bring broadband connectivity to all citizens. A focus of the BCO Network is supporting bridging the digital gap between urban and rural areas and reaching the Gigabit Society objectives.

“Poland enters gigabit society” is one of the five winners of the European Broadband Awards 2018. This project covers the whole Poland, especially remote areas and those who do not have broadband at all. As a result, the schools in remote areas are being connected to the high-speed telecommunication services. This provides new opportunities for work, communication, education and culture for citizens living in remote regions. It is an outstanding example of how EU funds can make a real difference to the lives of citizens.

Precision farming and digital solutions are transforming European agriculture, making it both more competitive and more sustainable. The technology itself and farmers interaction with it, however, rely on seamless mobile connectivity a challenge in many rural areas. In these video interviews, Ulrich Adam, then Secretary General of the European Agricultural Machinery Association (CEMA), and Maximillian von Lbbecke, CEO of 365FarmNet a digital farm management platform explain the versatility, value and impact of precision farming and how broadband roll-out must meet the growing demand.

“Welcoming Sunne to the Network of the Future” is one of the five winners of the European Broadband Awards 2018. The project replaced the old copper network with fibre and mobile networks in Sunne municipality. As a result, Sunne provides modern communication infrastructure to all local inhabitants with the possibility to get download speeds of up to 1 Gbps. This project is an excellent example of investment in a future proof infrastructure.

This brochure features the winning projects from the 2018 European Broadband Awards, which recognise innovative ways of achieving the Gigabit Society objectives. In order to support the development of more such projects across the EU, this brochure showcases these projects’ good practices in: innovative models of financing, business and investment; cost reduction and co-investment in a future-proof infrastructure; territorial cohesion in rural and remote areas; socio-economic impact and affordability; and openness and competition.

Broadband mapping is essential for identifying where there is a need for investment in broadband infrastructure, and for making informed decisions about State aid. In this video, Johannes Weicksel, from the German regional Broadband Competence Office (BCO) for Berlin, underlines the importance of mapping broadband coverage in the EU for reaching the Digital Agenda targets; and Hans Teglhus Møller, from BCO Denmark, and Erwin Grabler, from BCO Austria, explain the mapping tools of their respective BCOs.

The European Union has made several technical assistance instruments available for the design and implementation of broadband programmes and projects. This guide offers an overview of the main sources for technical assistance for public administrations involved in the promotion of connectivity in Europe. You will find explanations of how EU funds can support
setting up Broadband Competence Offices (BCOs), capacity building of BCOs, and project preparation costs, both for public and private investors.