Tackling the "Broadband Gap" in SEE Rural areas through PPP model

at the meeting

PPP4Broadband (Tackling the "Broadband Gap" in SEE Rural areas through PPP model), selected for financing in the 4th call of The South East Europe Transnational Cooperation Programme, organized its Kick off meeting in Štrbské Pleso in Slovakia on 29 - 30 January 2013.

All project partners from 9 countries across SEE territory gathered to start the cooperation on common project, discuss the distribution of tasks, methods of work and other important topics for successful cooperation.

General objective of PPP4Broadband project is to improve the development of virtual accessibility through broadband development in SEE rural areas using PPP model. The project also aims to develop transnational tools, methodologies and guidelines targeting mainly public actors across SEE as PPP procurers.

Project will in the first phase concentrate on the identification of national frameworks related to PPP and Broadband development and research and create 9 PPP models, 3 per each defined specific technology area.

In the later stage national centres of excellence with a role to provide knowledge, guidance (using developed PPP Models), standardization and experience will be established in each participating country as key service providers. The whole concept of the PP4Broadband project will be demonstrated through the implementation of 3 investment preparation projects using PPP4Broadband models in 3 regional testing areas (Greece, Romania, FYROM).

The target groups of the project are actors in the field of development of virtual accessibility in excluded rural areas, namely regional/local public administrations, private providers of broadband, etc. These actors will be involved into the project by a mix of activities comprising dissemination, awareness raising and educational activities. The public actors will be encouraged to improve their knowledge and expertise in the field of broadband development, in the usage of PPP models for broadband development and to help them to carry out the PPP procurement.

Vojvodina ICT Cluster, being an association which includes stakeholders from the triple helix of business, education, and government, is ideally positioned for this project.

Developed solutions will be widely applicable and transferable across the SEE since they will reflect transnational experience and needs. The PPP models developed in the project framework will be compatible with the Europe 2020 Initiative Digital Agenda for Europe as the most important framing initiative in the field. By drawing on the concepts of the PPP and CoE the project will capitalize previous EU initiatives and will embody the concepts into viable solutions to the digital divide issue.