In the Resolution adopted on 19 June, MEPs note that it is precisely in the EU's less-developed regions that broadband internet connections may contribute most to "more sophisticated, inclusive" health-care and education systems, by enabling distance-diagnosis and distance-healing as well as distance-learning applications in regions that lack a satisfactory school infrastructure.
The report calls on member states to promote broadband connections at every school, university and educational centre in the EU "with a view to a future where 'no European child and no individual involved in educational programmes is left off line in Europe'". MEPs stress the importance of more investment, but say that EU funding should not favour specific players or technological options, but "only the most efficient solutions" and should only be permitted "in under-served areas".
The EU as a whole has one of the highest penetration rates worldwide for broadband internet access, with more high-speed lines per capita than the US. 28% of EU households are linked up to ADSL, fibre, cable, satellite, Wifi or any other form of fast itnernet connection. However, most of these lines are concentrated in the EU-15 countries and around big cities.
People living in mountainous or remote areas, especially in Eastern and Central Europe, and on islands can very often only access the internet through slow dial-up connections. This results in a major competitive disadvantage for businesses in these areas, and it could lead to people from these regions being marginalised when public services become increasingly internet-based.
In response to this problem, the Commission published, in 2006, a Communication on 'Bridging the broadband gap' (see Euractiv, 21 March 2006), prioritising, among other measures, the use of Structural Funds to create seamless broadband coverage all over the EU.
In some countries, the broadband gap is rapidly narrowing: On the day of the vote in Parliament, Greece's OTE telecom incumbent announced that it had installed one million ADSL ports in the country, providing 760,000 broadband connections covering 20% of Greece's 3.7 million households. Due to its mountainous and pelagic geography, Greece has until very recently been lagging behind most of the EU in broadband penetration.
