Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 July 2021
131. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications the status of the implementation of the EU connectivity toolbox; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36446/21]
View answerThe EU Common Toolbox for Connectivity aims to boost investment in very high-capacity broadband connectivity infrastructure (Very High Capacity Networks and 5G (Spectrum) following the European Commission’s Recommendation of 18 September 2020. The Toolbox aims to assist the EU in urgently addressing issues of investment such as network cost reduction and coordinated spectrum authorisation. Member States agreed to identify and share best practices for a common EU toolbox of measures to reduce the cost of deploying VHCN as well as ensuring timely and investment-friendly access to 5G radio spectrum. My Department has engaged in the process of inputting to agreement on an EU level list of best practices which was published on 30 March 2021 and has also prepared a national roadmap. All Member States committed to presenting a report on their national roadmaps to the EU by 30 April 2022 and each April thereafter.
The roadmaps including the Irish report are now published online at digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/connectivity-toolbox-member-states-develop-and-share-roadmaps-toolbox-implementation
