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eGovernment in the European Union May 2015We need to invest in smart use of technology and in the exploitation of information toseek solutions to reduce energy consumption, support ageing citizens, empowerpatients and improve online access for people with disabilities. One main objective is, by2015, patients to have access to their online medical records wherever they are in theEU. The Agenda will also boost energy saving ICT technologies such as Solid StateLighting technology (SSL) which requires 70 % less energy compared to standardlighting systems.In these seven areas, the Digital Agenda foresees some 100 follow-up actions, of which31 would be legislative. Further information and relevant publications can be viewed at theDigital Agenda's website.Main funding mechanismsThe Connecting Europe Facility (CEF)On 29 June 2011, the European Commission adopted a proposal for the next Multi-AnnualFinancial Framework for the period 2014-2020. In this Framework a new integratedinvestment instrument was proposed to improve Europe’s transport, energy and digitalnetworks: ‘The Connecting Europe Facility’ (CEF). Well-functioning infrastructures are a keycondition to achieve the Europe 2020 targets. By investing in the three main networks tomake them smart, sustainable and fully interconnected, Europe’s competitiveness will beboosted and new jobs will be created.CEF Digital has a budget of 1.14 billion euros, out of which 170 million euros are forBroadband activities, while 970 million euros are dedicated to Digital ServiceInfrastructures (DSIs) delivering networked cross-border services for citizens, businessesand public administrations. These projects are to contribute: to improvement of the competitiveness of the European economy, to promoting of interconnection and interoperability of national, regional and localnetworks, and to access to such networks, thus supporting the development of a Digital Single Market.The Broadband component of the programme seeks to contribute to the achievement of theDigital Agenda targets of all European households having access to internet connections of30 Megabits per Second by 2020, and of 50% of households subscribing to internetconnections above 100 Megabits per Second by 2020.In view of these targets, CEF aims at facilitating an efficient flow of private and publicinvestments to stimulate the deployment and modernisation of broadband networks. Atleast one third of the broadband projects financially supported under CEF shall aim atspeeds above 100Mbps.The Digital Service Infrastructures (DSIs) will facilitate the cross-border and cross-sectorinteraction between European public administrations. This, in turn, will enable the provisionof essential services for businesses and citizens in areas as diverse as electronicidentification and procurement, and interoperable health services.Projects will be firmly centred on deploying a relatively small number of trans-Europeaninfrastructures based upon mature technical and organisational solutions, and aimed atsupporting exchanges and collaboration with and within the public sector, across the EU.The DSIs also entails building infrastructures to roll-out the building blocks Large ScalePilots have provided to ensure interoperability (such as eID, eProcurement, electronicHealthcare records, e-Justice) and to link up Member States’ infrastructures.[12]