The European Commission adopted, on Thursday 16 December 2021, the first work program for the digital aspect of the Mechanism for Interconnection in Europe (CEF). This provides for one billion euros for the expansion of 5G mobile communications over the next three years.
The European Commission wants all households in the EU to have a gigabit connection by 2030 and that all inhabited areas be supplied by 5G networks by encouraging public and private investment in this area. To launch the movement, it will therefore release more than one billion euros through its work program for the digital component of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF Digital) program. adopted on December 16 last.
Alibaba wants to overwhelm Southeast Asia e-commerce market
This program aims to support ” connectivity projects of common interest to the EU and the deployment of efficient, secure and sustainable infrastructure, including gigabit and 5G networks across the EU “. The key actions that will be supported must therefore meet the three priorities set:
– the deployment of infrastructures making it possible to ensure better 5G coverage along cross-border corridors (which will, for example, make it possible to develop connected mobility on the motorway between two territories);
– the deployment and upgrading of backbone networks (central part of infrastructure networks), in particular quantum communication infrastructures, cloud infrastructures, as well as submarine cables to ensure better connectivity between the countries of the continent and remote areas (Caribbean, Guyana, Mayotte, Canaries, etc.);
– the implementation of digital connectivity infrastructures linked to projects in the transport and energy sectors.
The first calls for projects in this section will take place in early January 2022.
This current CEF Digital work program covers the period from 2021 to 2023, but its total planned budget amounts to 2 billion euros until 2027. The entire CEF program is endowed with 33.7 billion euros from 2021 to 2027. It is an essential device in the will of the European Union to remain sovereign on the digital level, in particular in the fields of the cloud, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, data, quantum and digital skills. ” Secure and fast connectivity is the pillar on which we will build Europe’s digital decade », Declared Thierry Breton, Commissioner responsible for the internal market. “It will give Europeans access to digital skills, allow businesses to innovate and promote the availability of unprecedented applications in areas such as health, education and public services online”.
Note that the first generation of CEF, which ran from 2014 to 2020, was at the origin of the free WiFi program called WiFi4EU. It has also supported the deployment of very high capacity networks in rural and semi-rural areas across Europe through the Connecting Europe Broadband (CEBF) fund.