November 22, 2017

This measure was announced on November 20, 2017, during Broadband Days 2017. This initiative emerged as a response to the digital divide affecting rural Europe. Data confirms that only 40% of rural households have access to high-speed internet , compared to 76% of all households in the European Union. The urban-rural digital divide is not just an imbalance of technology or connectivity: it is an imbalance of opportunities.

These Broadband Competition Offices ( BCOs ) will be part of a network and will be tasked with providing guidance to public and private broadband project developers, users, and investors. Their role is to gather all practical information related to broadband, such as financing, technology, and regulatory issues, into a single point of contact within each of the EU countries participating in the project.

High-speed internet access is crucial for the future of agriculture , linked to new digital applications such as precision agriculture. It also underpins e-services that could help overcome the deficiencies in access to infrastructure and services that exist in many rural areas , helping to make them an attractive place to live and work for both young and old.

The European Union is aware that digitalization and connectivity translate into new businesses that contribute to rural development and the retention of population in rural areas. Therefore, it is working on various actions aimed at revitalizing rural services through digital and social innovation . A current example is the promotion of so-called smart villages .

The European Union has allocated around 6 billion euros for the period 2014-2020, mostly from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).