On Wednesday 9 October, the European Commission announced that it had adopted the second work programme for the digital strand of its Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), which defines the scope and objectives of the actions financed by the EU to improve digital connectivity infrastructures.
This funding, which amounts to €865 million over four years, should enable the EU to develop the infrastructure needed to achieve its ‘Digital Decade’ objectives of bringing high-speed, secure connections to all citizens and businesses.
This new programme will focus on three types of initiative: - the deployment of 5G infrastructure in Europe, linked to the use of advanced technologies and cloud computing capabilities in sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing, transport and logistics; - significant improvements to core networks, including quantum communications and submarine cables, to “increase the performance, resilience and capacity of connectivity networks within Member States”; - setting up ‘operational’ digital platforms for transport and energy infrastructures.
The initiatives supported by this work programme should help to strengthen the resilience of Europe’s digital infrastructures and respond to the issues raised in the Commission’s ‘White Paper’ on the future of telecommunications (see EUROPE 13355/8). (Original version in French by Isalia Stieffatre)