EU institutions agree on the WiFi4EU initiative

Digital Single Market: EU institutions reached an agreement which supports installing free public Wi-Fi hotspots in local communities across the EU.

The European Parliament, the Council and the Commission reached last night a political agreement on the WiFi4EU initiative and its funding which supports installing free public Wi-Fi hotspots in local communities across the EU: in public squares, piazzas, parks, hospitals and other public spaces.

As stated by Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker i, the WiFi4EU initiative will contribute to the vision of having "every European village and every city with free wireless internet access around the main centres of public life by 2020."

In practice, local public authorities, municipalities or groups of municipalities wishing to offer Wi-Fi in areas where a similar public or private offer does not yet exist will be able to apply for funding via a simple and non-bureaucratic process. A grant allocated in the form of vouchers will be used to purchase and install state-of-the art equipment, i.e. local wireless access points, while the public authority will cover the running costs of the connection itself.

The political agreement includes a commitment by the three institutions to ensure that an overall amount of €120 million shall be assigned to fund equipment for public free Wi-Fi services in 6,000 to 8,000 municipalities in all Member States. The specific sources of the funding will be finalised in the ongoing legislative discussions on the review of the current Multiannual Financial Framework programme. Local authorities will be able to apply for funding once the system is set up.

Related links

Press release - Digital Single Market: EU negotiators agree on the WiFi4EU initiative

More details on WiFi4EU initiative

Factsheet on WiFi4EU

Press release on Digital Single Market strategy mid-term review