EU invests in Next Generation Internet connections in Sicily and improved rail transport in Slovakia

The Commission has just adopted two projects co-financed by Cohesion Policy funds in Italy and in Slovakia, to the sum of almost EUR 190 million. To start with, the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is investing almost EUR 55 million to build the infrastructures necessary to deploy broadband across black spots in Sicily as part of a Next Generation Network (NGN). This project affects 142 municipalities, that is to say more than 2.3 million inhabitants.

"This will not only bring broadband to Sicilian households, it will also create new economic opportunities, more accessible public services and a new doorway to the world," observed Commissioner for Regional Policy, Corina Crețu.

This project aims to give the region almost complete broadband (> 30 Mbps) coverage. It will also enable superfast broadband (> 100 Mbps) connections for certain users in the region with greater connectivity demands, such as small- and medium-sized enterprises. This project, financed by the EU, is part of Italy's national plan to deploy broadband on a Next Generation Network. The project is expected to be completed by 2020. Over the 2014-2020 period, almost EUR 2 billion of European funds are being invested in digital infrastructures and services in Italy. In addition, the Cohesion Fund will invest EUR 134.5 million to improve rail transport in the Žilina Region in north-west Slovakia. This will enable the purchase of 25 modern, comfortable vehicles for the regional network.

Commissioner Crețu stated: "Almost 2 million passengers will benefit from this investment, which will make rail transport more attractive in these regions and will therefore promote cleaner mobility in Slovakia." This project supplements investment from the EU in the modernisation of rail infrastructures in the region during the aforementioned budget period.