- Funding Programme
- Year
- 2021
Support for Broadband Competence Office (BCO) structuring and for broadband projects
The Commission has supported the Broadband Competence Office (BCO) in Cyprus and the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP).
The main objective was the improvement of the capacity of the Broadband Competence Office (BCO) to increase the access of the population to affordable, high quality, and speed broadband services.
The Broadband Competence Office (BCO) Cyprus faced challenges in planning and implementing broadband measures to meet EU targets, including poor staffing and cooperation among authorities and stakeholders, as well as inefficient manual procedures. Additionally, the 2020 Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) highlighted Cyprus's shortcomings in ultrafast broadband coverage, uptake, and high prices. To address these challenges, technical support was provided to establish a new Broadband Competence Office within the Ministry, serving as a single point of reference for public investments, private sector cooperation, and streamlined administrative procedures. This technical support also included preparing two public intervention projects for Cyprus' Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP).
Context
BCO Cyprus faced challenges in responding to the wide range of activities that could enhance its capacity to plan and implement broadband measures for Cyprus to achieve the EU broadband targets. Inter alia, the 2020 Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) highlighted that Cyprus lagged behind in ultrafast broadband coverage, fast broadband uptake, and ultrafast broadband uptake, as well as the broadband price index. Although fixed broadband coverage was among the factors boosting Cyprus's ability to benefit from the digital economy, the main challenge remained to encourage take-up of ultrafast broadband. The European Broadband Competence Offices (BCOs) Network, a European Commission initiative, supported EU countries in reaching the Gigabit society objectives and rolling out broadband connectivity. The BCO Support Facility brought together EU Member States' national and regional public authorities to exchange knowledge and good practices, building their capacity to provide reliable, high-speed broadband connectivity.
In Cyprus, the Department of Electronic and Communications (DEC) of the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy was designated as the Broadband Competence Office. Through its active participation in the Broadband Competence Office network, the Broadband Competence Office Cyprus gained access to an extensive knowledge base of best practices and training materials, which contributed to the preparation of public intervention measures included in the Cyprus Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP).
The project is directly linked to the priorities of the EU including the transition to a digital economy and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
Support delivered
The aim of the support was to structure and build the capacity of a new Broadband Competence Office within the Deputy Ministry, which will operate as a single point of reference in the broadband sector, for public investments, cooperation with private investors and facilitator of administrative procedures. The aim was also to provide support to mature and prepare two public intervention projects included in Cyprus’ Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP).
The main activities included, inter alia, the development of guidance for the notification procedures, public consultations, preparation of all the necessary documentation including tender specifications, the development of a detailed and complete draft of an implementation Guide, review of the current state in Cyprus and EU best practices to produce the ‘BCO-to-be’ model and a roadmap towards its setup. The support also included various capacity building activities.
Results achieved
As a result of the support, a well-structured and properly equipped Broadband Competence Office has been developed. The Broadband Competence Office has been designed to coordinate and provide guidance to broadband project promoters (in terms of technology, funding opportunities and administrative/regulatory issues), public or private, users or investors by collecting and distributing all such information related to broadband, as a single point of contact within Cyprus. With the technical support (state-aid and tendering procedures) for the preparation of the two RRF Broadband Projects now complete, the appropriate conditions have been established to facilitate the successful implementation of the projects. The main expected outcome of the support on the longer term is the contribution to an increased coverage of the population with affordable, high quality, and speed broadband services.
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