1. Hervé Dupuy Deputy Head of Unit Broadband Unit (DG CONNECT.B5)
Outermost Regions and the Digital Agenda for Europe
2nd FORUM OF THE OUTERMOST REGIONS
Round Table 4: Competitiveness and entrepreneurship in the ORs, towards smart growth
3 July 2012
Hervé Dupuy Deputy Head of Unit Broadband Unit (DG CONNECT.B5)

2. The development of ICT is of major importance for Outermost Regions
ICTs are essential to increase the competitiveness of economies (productivity growth) and innovation.
ICTs reduce the impact of geographical remoteness and improve access to public services (eHealth, eGovernment, eInclusion)
High-Speed Broadband by 2020 : 100% coverage with 30 Mbps ; 50% take-up with 100 Mbps

3. Outermost Regions participants in ICT research/CIP Programmes is still limited

4. Improving the reliability of network infrastructure must be a top priority:
Current digital networks that rely on a single low capacity undersea cable connection do not guarantee service continuity, and are unable to deliver constantly increasing speeds.
Issues concerning access, tariffs, quality and security of ICT services need to be addressed more resolutely, particularly to create the conditions for ‘high-speed’ internet.
The national competition authorities have a key role to play in determining the conditions for acquiring capacity through undersea cables and the conditions for access to the terrestrial parts of these cables.

5. Active Cables

6. Active Cables

7. EU Roaming Regulation (EC) 717/2009
EU Roaming Regulation (EC) 717/2009 requires NRAs to monitor developments in wholesale and retail charges for the provision to roaming customers of voice and data communications services, including SMS and MMS, including in the outermost regions.
Roaming Regulation states that in-country roaming in the outermost regions of the Community where mobile telephony licences are distinct from those issued in respect of the rest of the national territory could benefit from rate reductions equivalent to those practised on the Community roaming market.
Roaming Regulation disallows the less favourable pricing treatment for customers using in-country roaming services as opposed to customers using Community-wide roaming services.

8. Outermost Regions presence in National Broadband strategies
Member States' broadband strategies should identify and take into account the infrastructure need of ORs in fully operational plans including concrete implementing measures to realise their targets, notably as regards the necessary funding.
A mix of private initiatives and public intervention when needed, use of new technologies and demand aggregation could contribute to achieve these goals.

9. Use of the Structural and Rural Development Funds/Connecting Europe Facility
The EU will take into account the Outermost Regions dimension in the implementation and development of the trans- European networks in the fields of transport, telecommunications and energy.
The proposed Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) will also follow this approach when identifying those projects of common interest eligible for funding.

10. Our Support to the Regions
S3 Platform: helpdesk, peer-review, events, etc. for ICT
European Broadband Portal: Promotion of National Broadband Plans, best practices
Guides : RIS3 + broadband investments
Digital Agenda Assembly (June): Coalition for action on Smart Specialisation Strategy, workshops on cost reduction and innovative business models
Open Days (October)