The European Commission is announcing a public consultation about the implementation evaluation of EU Guidelines for the application of State aid rules in relation to the rapid deployment of broadband networks (the Broadband Guidelines, the Guidelines). The consultation is addressed in particular to organisations, public authorities, regulators and others who apply the the State aid rules for the deployment of broadband infrastructure, but all citizens are welcome to contribute to this consultation.
The State aid rules aim to support the deployment of broadband networks without distorting competition and are targeted mainly in areas where such funding is most needed (mainly rural and sparsely populated).
The objective of the consultation is to examine the functioning of the State aid rules for the deployment of broadband infrastructure to verify to what extent they have stimulated the deployment of telecommunications infrastructure and contributed to competitiveness in the sector.
The purpose of the consultation is to check to what extent the State aid rules for the deployment of broadband infrastructure:
- are adequate and applied for its intended purpose
- respond to technological developments;
- are appropriate to meet the new EU strategic objectives as described in the Shaping Europe's Digital Future Communication.
The collected views will feed into the evaluation of the the State aid rules for the deployment of broadband infrastructure. The outcome of this evaluation will provide a basis for the Commission services to assess whether concrete and coherent action, by way of legislative and non-legislative measures is necessary.
The consultation is available on the following address: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12398-Evaluation-of-State-Aid-rules-for-broadband-infrastructure-deployment. The feedback deadline is 5 January 2021.