Support Facility for Broadband Competence Offices (BCOs)

The Support Facility will have as a purpose to support the network of BCOs by providing information, assisting projects planning, facilitating networking and exchange of good practices by running events, workshops and training seminars, managing and moderating web-based forums about:
• Funding: The funding opportunities offered by ERDF and/or EAFRD programming documents during 2014-2020 as well as by dedicated Financial Instruments (FI) – i.e. either directly (EIB under EFSI or CEF) or indirectly supported by the EU (through national promotional banks, commercial banks);
• Regulatory issues: the regulatory frameworks such as those related to public procurement, EU State aid rules, telecom regulations and the Directive 2014/61/EU on reducing cost of broadband roll-out (hereafter called "Cost Reduction Directive");
• Project Planning: design and monitoring, as well as the stimulation and aggregation of bottom-up demand for high speed broadband, selection of business and investment models and financing structures, information about state of the art technology choices and infrastructure types, etc. as per the “Guide to High-Speed Broadband Investment” or other relevant sources, including advise on broadband mapping methodologies and tools).
• Good practices: sharing of practical know-how, exchange of good practices, moderation of the virtual forums for discussion, conduct of interviews and videos and running of an annual EU broadband award through the Broadband Europe website.