Press Release: ‘Broadband for all’: Commission mobilises all its policy instruments to bridge the broadband gap

The European Commission on 21 March 2006 published a Communication entitled 'Bridging the Broadband Gap', The document was jointly presented by the European Commissioners for Information Society and Media, Competition, Regional Policy and Agriculture and Rural Development. The European Commission considered wide broadband coverage in Europe as crucial for fostering growth and jobs in Europe. This is why EU telecoms legislation, structural and rural policy instruments needed to be mobilised in full respect of state aid rules in a joint drive to bring high-speed 'broadband' internet access to all Europeans, in particular to the EU’s less-developed areas.

European Commission: Memo: MEMO/06/132, The Commission's 'Broadband for all' policy to foster growth and jobs in Europe: Frequently Asked Questions, 21.3.06 http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/06/132&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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