PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files

Uddannelses- og Forskningsudvalget 2014-15 (1. samling)
FIV Alm.del Bilag 36
Offentligt

MEETING OF CHAIRPERSONS OF COMMITTEES ON EMPLOYMENT, RESEARCH

AND INNOVATION

Session II – Digital opportunities

Concept note

According to an assessment made by the European Commission, full

implementation of the Digital Agenda – launched in March 2010 with the goal of

dragging Europe out of the crisis and preparing the EU economy for the

challenges to be faced over the next decade –

will increase Europe’s GDP by

5%.

In order to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the digital economy,

it will be necessary to strengthen investment in communication infrastructures

and networks that ensure fast, reliable and comprehensive connectivity. The

European Commission estimates that the construction of digital infrastructure

could create 1.2 million jobs.

The average speed of data transmission on mobile devices in Europe is half of

that in the United States. The US, South Korea and Japan together account for

88% of worldwide 4G mobile network subscribers, compared with just 6% for

Europe. Similarly, in Europe the amount of fibre-optic cable laid for fixed-line

networks and average broadband speeds are much lower than those of our

international competitors. In South Korea, 58% of households have fibre-optic

connections, while in Japan the figure is 43%. It is just 5% in Europe.

The Digital Agenda sets the following goals for broadband coverage:



basic broadband for all by 2013 (objective achieved);



access to new-generation networks (speeds of at least 30 Mbps) for all

European citizens by 2020. At present, 62% of European citizens are

covered;



also by 2020, at least 50% of households should have Internet

subscriptions at connection speeds higher than 100 Mbps. At present, 3%

have such subscriptions.

Therefore, enormous investment is needed to complete the infrastructure. The

European Commission estimates that between €60 billion (total coverage at 30

Mbps) and €270 billion (50% of European households with access at 100 Mbps)

will be required.

PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files

The resources allocated by the EU for the 2014-2020 period are far less than

required. In addition to the Structural Funds, the

Connecting Europe Facility

(CEF),

has been established with €1 billion to fund a number of specific projects

to build high-speed and ultra-fast broadband networks. In July 2014, the

Commission inaugurated the “Connected Communities” initiative, which

comprises a series of support tools for small and large cities, local broadband

partnerships and operators to bring broadband to their community. Funding can

also be sought from the European Investment Bank for broadband projects.

Furthermore, the Commission has established special rules for state aid granted

for broadband that avoid the distortion of competition. As announced by the

Commission itself, this has led to a considerable increase in such aid by

individual Member States in recent years. Finally, Directive

2014/61/EU

measures to reduce the civil engineering costs of deploying high-speed electronic

communications networks (estimated savings of around 30% of the total

investment cost), recently came into force.

Nor can we ignore the benefits of transitioning to e-government (online

government services), which could allow government entities to reduce their

costs by 15-20% and benefit users in terms of time saved and lower costs, as

well as improving the level of satisfaction. Although these benefits are not easily

and unambiguously measurable, according to the

Commission’s assessments

they could result in saving citizens and businesses time that can be quantified as

worth between €150 million and €600 million each year.

It is necessary to understand, apart from the current monitoring of the

implementation of the Digital Agenda (most recently published in the

Digital

Agenda Scoreboard):

a) whether, given the strategic nature of digitalization and the need for

Europe as a whole to catch up with more advanced areas as quickly as

possible, the initiatives undertaken by the European Union are adequate to

achieve the targets set (in addition to development of networks, reducing

the fragmentation of the TLC market, the delivery of smart digital services,

enhancing the TLC literacy of European citizens and increasing demand

for services);

b) whether the resources allocated by the EU are sufficient and whether the

decision to leave much of the burden of upgrading infrastructure to the

The CEF, with an appropriation of €33 billion for the 2014-2020 period, is specifically designed to

promote growth, employment and competitiveness through investment in infrastructure at the

European level.

PDF to HTML - Convert PDF files to HTML files

Member States could lead to substantial asymmetries, among other things

in relation to the size and features of the various territories;

c) whether and in what form innovative financing sources could be

introduced, starting with more extensive use of EIB funding which, through

the

project bonds

initiative, seeks to stimulate the capital market to finance

large-scale infrastructure projects in the strategic transportation, energy

and broadband sectors;

d) what are the most relevant experiences and how to build models based

upon them.