10/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - The Commission has authorised Greek aid, amounting to €210 million, for the promotion of broadband networks in regions where citizens and businesses currently have difficulty in gaining access to the benefits of broadband technology. The Commission concluded this project was unlikely to cause undue distortion of competition and was compatible with EC Treaty State aid rules (Article 87). Broadband network providers have so far focussed their activities mainly on the Athens and Thessalonika metropolitan areas, and the project is aimed at bridging the digital divide between these two cities and the rest of the country. It allows for funding for the provision of broadband access services by service providers, and for funding specific demand stimulation activities, such as the purchase of PCs and modems.