Hervé DupuyDeputy Head of UnitBroadband Unit (DG CONNECT.B5)

Outermost Regions and the Digital Agenda for Europe

2nd FORUM OF THE OUTERMOST REGIONSRound Table 4: Competitiveness and entrepreneurship in the ORs,

towards smart growth3 July 2012

The development of ICT is of major importance for Outermost Regions

• ICTs are essential to increase the competitiveness of economies (productivity growth) and innovation.

• ICTs reduce the impact of geographical remoteness and improve access to public services (eHealth, eGovernment, eInclusion)

• High-Speed Broadband by 2020 : 100% coverage with 30 Mbps ; 50% take-up with 100 Mbps

Outermost Regions participants in ICT research/CIP Programmes is still limited

Improving the reliability of network infrastructure must be a top priority:

• Current digital networks that rely on a single low capacity undersea cable connection do not guarantee service continuity, and are unable to deliver constantly increasing speeds.

• Issues concerning access, tariffs, quality and security of ICT services need to be addressed more resolutely, particularly to create the conditions for ‘high-speed’ internet.

• The national competition authorities have a key role to play in determining the conditions for acquiring capacity through undersea cables and the conditions for access to the terrestrial parts of these cables.

ActiveCables

ActiveCables

EU Roaming Regulation (EC) 717/2009

• EU Roaming Regulation (EC) 717/2009 requires NRAs to monitor developments in wholesale and retail charges for the provision to roaming customers of voice and data communications services, including SMS and MMS, including in the outermost regions.

• Roaming Regulation states that in-country roaming in the outermost regions of the Community where mobile telephony licences are distinct from those issued in respect of the rest of the national territory could benefit from rate reductions equivalent to those practised on the Community roaming market.

• Roaming Regulation disallows the less favourable pricing treatment for customers using in-country roaming services as opposed to customers using Community-wide roaming services.

Outermost Regions presence in National Broadband strategies

• Member States' broadband strategies should identify and take into account the infrastructure need of ORs in fully operational plans including concrete implementing measures to realise their targets, notably as regards the necessary funding.

• A mix of private initiatives and public intervention when needed, use of new technologies and demand aggregation could contribute to achieve these goals.

Use of the Structural and Rural Development Funds/Connecting Europe Facility

• The EU will take into account the Outermost Regions dimension in the implementation and development of the trans- European networks in the fields of transport, telecommunications and energy.

• The proposed Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) will also follow this approach when identifying those projects of common interest eligible for funding.

Our Support to the Regions

• S3 Platform: helpdesk, peer-review, events, etc. for ICT

• European Broadband Portal: Promotion of National Broadband Plans, best practices

• Guides : RIS3 + broadband investments

• Digital Agenda Assembly (June): Coalition for action on Smart Specialisation Strategy, workshops on cost reduction and innovative business models

• Open Days (October)