17107/12 FL/ne 1 DG E 2 A COU CIL OF THE EUROPEA U ... - Europa

(17) The 4 February 2011 European Council 14 called upon the Commission to streamline and
improve authorisation procedures and to promote a regulatory framework attractive to
investment. The European Council underlined that the bulk of the investment would have to
be delivered by the market with costs recovered through tariffs. The European Council
recognised that public finance was needed for projects required from a security of supply or
solidarity perspective, which were unable to attract market based financing.
(18) Regulation (EU) No XXX/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of …
[Guidelines for trans-European energy infrastructure] 15 defines trans-European energy
infrastructure priorities, which should be implemented by 2020 to meet the Union's energy
and climate policy objectives; sets rules to identify projects of common interest necessary to
implement these priorities, introduces measures in the field of permit granting, public
involvement and regulation to speed up and/or facilitate the implementation of these projects,
including criteria for general eligibility of such projects for Union financial aid.
(19) Telecommunications are increasingly becoming internet-based infrastructures, with
broadband networks and digital services closely interrelated. The internet is becoming the
dominant platform for communication, offering services, and doing business. Therefore the
trans-European availability of fast Internet access and digital services is essential for
economic growth and the Single Market.
(20) Modern, fibre-based internet networks are a crucial infrastructure for the future in terms of
connectivity for European companies, in particular SMEs that want to use cloud computing in
order to improve cost-efficiency.
14 EUCO 2/1/11.
15 OJ L…, p. ….
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ANNEX DG E 2 A E