Closing the gaps in connectivity, using digital technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support for regions to invest in connectivity infrastructure were the key points raised by EPP-CoR members during the Broadband Platform kick-off meeting for 2021.
Michael Murphy, chair of the commission for Economic policy and of the Broadband Platform, opened the meeting by highlighting the timely context for such a meeting. "Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic we have all seen an acceleration of the digital transformation in our daily lives. Digital technology has become imperative to ensure continuity in our working and private lives, be it through teleworking, home-schooling, e-commerce, e-health, e-government, digital democracy or digital entertainment." Murphy added that in this context, local and regional authorities are challenged to make connectivity and digital transformation work for citizens. He stressed "We are concerned with closing the gaps in connectivity where they exist and with making use of opportunities that digital technology offers for rural areas."
Markku Markkula, Past President and Vice-President of the CoR and President of the Helsinki Region and Chair of the Espoo City Board said that the recovery fund needs to be used to have both immediate influence and long term influence on a global scale. He emphasised the need to focus on digitalisation and in achieving the European green deal targets. He called for more synergy in using different financing sources. "We need to pay particular attention to securing high priority, pan-European projects." In this regard Markkula proposed that the European Commission together with CoR should create European wide projects through Recovery Funds to use digitalisation in agriculture and new technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and pollution of lakes, rivers and seas.
Vanessa Charbonneau, Vice-President of the Région des Pays de la Loire spoke about the reality on the ground and the need to be connected to high speed broadband. She explained that her region had two existing sets of fibre-optic infrastructure, the first being a private one, in urban areas.
The second was developed by the public sector and through the work of 5 localities (départements) with the support of ERDF, ensures that 100% of the territory is covered by fibre optic cables. She asked about the possibility of using the recovery funds, including programmes such as React EU and Invest EU, to continue the type of work already undertaken, to further develop the infrastructure.
In October, the CoR adopted the opinion A Strategy for Europe's Digital future and A Strategy for Data, drafted by Mark Weinmeister, Secretary of State for European Affairs of the Land of Hesse, which recognizes the central role of digital transformation in the EU’s response to COVID-19. The opinion calls for simpler rules for SMEs and research institutes to access EU funds for investment in digitalisation and data, access to digital infrastructure in both rural and urban areas, strengthening digital skills across all age groups of society, support through training programmes to address the lack of data experts in the EU as well as support programmes for start-ups and businesses in the field of data.
Broadband Platform
In 2017, the Committee of the Regions and the European Commission jointly launched the Broadband Platform with the aim to help high-speed broadband reach all European regions, including rural and sparsely populated areas where there is not enough market-driven development.
Since then, the Platform has been a key instrument in making the voice of local and regional authorities heard through the important added value of the CoR and its members, feeding into the European Commission's policy-making process.
In view of the twin transformation on green and digital, the upcoming digital decade and the challenges posed by Covid-19, the mandate of the Broadband Platform is more important than ever today.
The EPP-CoR Group plays an active role in the Platform through its members. These include:
- Vanessa Charbonneau (FR/ECON, NAT) Vice-President of the Région des Pays de la Loire
- Markku Markkula (FI/ENVE, SEDEC) Past President and Vice-President of the CoR, President of the Helsinki Region and Chair of the Espoo City Board.
- Michael Murphy (IE/ECON, CIVEX) Member of Tipperary County Council, Head of the Irish
- Delegation to the CoR and Chair of the ECON commission
- Tanya Hristova (BG/COTER, SEDEC) is Head of the Bulgarian CoR Delegation and Mayor of Gabrovo