Press Release: State aid: Commission approves €7 million grant to increase broadband availability in mountainous and isolated areas of Alto Adige in Italy

The European Commission approved under the EC Treaty state aid rules a €7 million grant to help bring broadband to areas of Italy in Alto Adige that currently do not have access. The support is aimed at narrowing the gap of access to affordable broadband services between mountainous and urban areas. The Commission found that the public support is justified by the benefits it brings to consumers and by the existence ofe safeguards put in place to preserve competition. This measure complements previous support to broadband in Alto Adige worth €6.9 million which the Commission approved on 10 October 2007.