European Parliament approval of an investment package for...

European Parliament approval of an investment package for pan-European digital projects and high-speed broadband networks “will help transform everything from movie theatres to operating theatres; from our transport to our tourism industry,” said Digital Agenda Commissioner Neelie Kroes in a statement Wednesday. The European Commission proposed the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) in 2011 as part of a multiyear funding program to support transport, energy and digital infrastructure projects, setting aside 9.2 billion euros ($12.6 billion) for CEF digital, of which 7 billion euros would support investment in high-speed broadband, the EC said. Last year, however, the Council reduced the CEF digital amount to 1 billion euros, forcing the EC to “fundamentally reorient its plans,” the EC said. The vote comes on top of political agreement on an EC-proposed e-identification regulation as well as a plan to cut the cost of broadband rollout, making it a “great week for the digital agenda, said Kroes.