BSG responds to reduced EU spending commitment on broadband

Last Friday saw the conclusion of EU budget negotiations, and as a result the proposed Connecting Europe Facility budget was reduced from €9.2bn to €1bn.

Our CEO, Pamela Learmonth, has responded to this announcement commenting:

“Broadband connectivity is vital to Europe’s future, and in tough economic times the ongoing challenge is to make the best use of resources. The reduction in proposed budget may initially provoke disappointment from some but the EU budget of EUR 1 billion is still a new investment in support of digital services and must also be seen as part of a larger sum of funding across European member states.

“The good news in the UK is that funding has already been identified and allocated towards areas of the country that the market might not reach and the private sector continues to invest in broadband infrastructure. Furthermore, we must all remember that a successful digital economy is more than just infrastructure and involves individuals and businesses utilising connectivity to its best effect, an issue that the BSG urges policy makers across Europe to give further attention to.???

Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes expressed her disappointment at the decision (you can read her blog here), stating “I am ready to work and fight even harder, to develop a more favourable European market for investment in broadband, fixed and wireless???.

Pamela Learmonth, CEO, is available for comment. Please contact Sam Hartwell [email protected] or +44 (0) 20 7331 2172.

Photo courtesy of European Commission