EU wil een betaalbare breedbandverbinding voor iedereen (en)

Brussels, 4 March 2010

EU assembly wants affordable broadband access for every home

High-speed internet is a basic good that must be available to everyone, Europe's local and regional politicians said today in support of the 'Europe 2020' goal of bringing broadband access to every home by 2013. Where markets fail to deliver this target, the public sector must be allowed to fill in the gap, argues Jean-François Istasse (BE/PES), member of the Parliament of the Belgian Communauté française and author of a Committee of the Regions report on the issue.

Speaking today after local and regional politicians from across Europe adopted his draft opinion on the 'digital dividend' and the future internet in the Committee of the Regions' Commission for education, youth, culture and research (EDUC), Istasse commented:

"The internet has become basic infrastructure, essential for everyday life and business. Still, many Europeans don't have access to broadband services at a reasonable price. This stifles both the quality of life and the chances for a swift economic recovery in these areas. The European Commission's 'Europe 2020' blueprint recognises this and aims to provide full broadband coverage by 2013. But we cannot rely on markets alone to deliver high-speed internet to rural areas, mountainous regions or islands. We therefore call on the European Commission to develop policies that acknowledge market failure and facilitate public initiatives to develop open networks in these areas."

Universal broadband access for all Europeans has also become a more realistic vision due to recent technical developments. The rapporteur shares the European Commission's view that the ongoing switchover from analogue to digital television is a unique window of opportunity. The radio frequency spectrum freed by this switchover could also be used to supply wireless high-speed internet in remote areas. "This can increase the accessibility and quality of online services provided by local and regional authorities, and make it easier for local companies to market their products across Europe", Istasse added.

As these wireless internet services will require more antennas than are used for TV broadcasting, Istasse also points out that their potential impact on town planning and the environment has to be taken into account: "In the EU it is usually local and regional authorities that are responsible for such matters, and the installation of antennas and masts can be a very sensitive issue for local communities. We therefore need to listen to the local level and strike the right balance between rolling out new networks and protecting the interests of our citizens", Istasse concluded.

The draft opinion will be adopted by the Committee of the Regions plenary session on 14 and 15 April 2010.

The Committee of the Regions' EDUC Commission 2010-2015

In the 2010-2015 mandate period, t he Committee of the Regions' Commission for education, youth, culture and research (EDUC) gathers 113 regional and local politicians from the 27 EU member states. At their constituent meeting on 11 February, they elected Alin Adrian Nica (RO/ALDE), Mayor of Dude?tii Noi, as President, and Norbert Kartmann (DE/EPP), President of the Hesse Landtag (state assembly), as First Vice-President for the next 2 ½ years.

Contributing to the EU's efforts to pursue economic and social recovery within the post-Lisbon strategy will be a central theme in the EDUC Commission's activities in the 2010-2015 mandate period. In an interview on the CoR website , Alin Adrian Nica summarises his priorities for his time at the helm.

The next meeting of the EDUC commission will take place on 10-11 May in Athens, Greece.

Visit the CoR's website : www.cor.europa.eu

The Committee of the Regions

The Committee of the Regions is the EU's assembly of regional and local representatives. The mission of its 344 members from all 27 EU Member States is to involve regional and local authorities and the communities they represent in the EU's decision-making process and to inform them about EU policies. The European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council are obliged to consult the Committee in policy areas affecting regions and cities. It can appeal to the EU Court of Justice if its rights are infringed or it believes that an EU law violates the subsidiarity principle or fails to respect regional or local powers.

For more information, please contact:

Michael Alfons

EU Committee of the Regions

Tel.: +32 (0)2 546 8559

Michael.Alfons@cor.europa.eu

To read previous press releases, click here .