In March 2010 the European Commission launched the “Europe 2020 Strategy”, a wide and comprehensive plan for fostering sustainable and inclusive growth within the European area. One of the main flagship of this ambitious plan is the so called Digital Agenda, which aims at delivering “sustainable economic and social benefits from a digital single market based on fast and ultra fast internet and interoperable applications”. However, Europe’s strategy is not just about improving access to infrastructure or applying digital technologies to public services. It also means breaking down cross-country regulatory barriers and adopting harmonization measures among national regulators.
Recently, a €9.2 billion investment was proposed by the EU Commission to boost Digital Agenda’s goals in improving internet access.. This funding – which now waits for both the European Parliament and the EU’s Council of Ministers’ approval – should sustain pan-European public and private projects to improve internet infrastructures. In addition it will support investements in areas where delivering broadband is less attractive, such as countrysides or little densely populated areas. The EU Commission considers that this intervention could leverage a significant amount of public and private investements, which would account for a total of between 50 and 100 billion euros…