The first generation of the Connecting Europe Facility “Telecom” strand (2014-2020) facilitated the cross-border interaction between public administrations, businesses and citizens, by deploying Digital Service Infrastructures (DSIs), connectivity in local communities (WiFi4EU) and broadband networks (through equity and loan instruments).
The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) programme has been providing EU funding for trans-European networks since 2014. Along with projects in the transport and energy sectors, CEF has provided funding in the digital sector (over €1 billion) for the deployment of digital networks and services- a key goal of the Digital Single Market.
With a budget of approximately €1 billion, of which €203 million are now managed by HaDEA, the programme supported two types of digital services:
- Re-usable digital services that can be integrated into/combined with other projects so called “building blocks”:
- eIdentification,
- eSignature,
- eInvoicing,
- eDelivery,
- eArchiving,
- Blockchain (EBSI), and
- Automated Translation.
- Specific digital service infrastructures covering areas such as:
- Cyber security,
- eHealth,
- European Platform for Digital Jobs and Skills,
- Business Registers Interconnection System,
- Europeana,
- eProcurement,
- Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information,
- Public Open Data,
- European e-Justice Portal,
- European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO),
- Safer Internet, and
- Online dispute resolution.
The CEF support to digital technologies will be continued and further developed in the next multiannual financial framework (2021-2027) under the Digital Europe Programme (DEP).
CEF Telecom also supported the WiFi4EU initiative, enabling European municipalities to offer free Wi-Fi connectivity in public spaces, such as parks, squares, public buildings, libraries, health centres, and museums in municipalities throughout Europe.