Government authorizes a new transfer of funds to the autonomous communities for connectivity projects under the Recovery Plan
14/03/2022
The investments of the program UNIQUE They are part of Component 15 of the Recovery Plan, which has an allocation of €4 billion to extend digital connectivity, and contribute to a solid and sustainable recovery.
The Council of Ministers has today authorized a transfer of 155 million euros on a finalist basis to the autonomous communities to advance the development of three initiatives of the Program of Universalization of Digital Infrastructures (UNICO): UNIQUE-Industry and Companies, UNIQUE-Social Bonus andUNIQUE-Buildings, whose objective is to strengthen access to connectivity throughout the territory and improve ultra-fast broadband connections (more than 100Mbps) in the areas of economic concentration and companies.
The transfer approved today corresponds to the period 2022-2023 and completes those foreseen in the Recovery Plan. These investments are part of component 15 of the Recovery Plan, which has an endowment of 4,000 million euros to extend digital connectivity, develop 5G technology and boost cybersecurity. Its deployment contributes to a solid and sustainable recovery of the Spanish economy and favors the modernization of the country.
Actions to finance
The Program UNIQUE-Industry and Companies has an endowment of 75 million euros for the period 2022-2023 and its objective is to strengthen connectivity in polygons, logistics centers and areas of concentration of economic activity, located in white areas or grey areas NGA. . The programme will include broadband deployment at 300 Mbps, scalable to 1 Gbps, and the interconnection of centres or facilities with each other, with the aim of facilitating high-performance network access in innovative sectoral digitisation projects.
The distribution of funds has been made according to criteria of extension of territory and number of companies in the autonomous communities. The goal of the program is for 1,600 small industrial estates and business areas to achieve a connectivity speed of 1-Gigabit.
UNIQUE-Bono Social has an allocation of 20 million euros for 2022 and 2023, to hire or improve the fixed broadband connection, with a minimum speed of 30 Mbps, for people or families identified as vulnerable. There will be a limitation of a social bonus per family unit and person with a maximum amount of 240 €/year.
Operators who provide services in all or any of the autonomous communities and cities can collaborate with the social bond program. The distribution between the CCAA regionalIt has been done according to the number of families at risk of poverty. The goal is to award at least 125,000 connectivity bonuses to individuals or families classified as vulnerable for the acquisition of a broadband connection package with the most appropriate technology.
Finally, Ú NICO-Buildings will improve telecommunications facilities in buildings built before the year 2000. The allocation for 2022 and 2023 is 60 million euros and is distributed according to the number of buildings built before the year 2000. This aid is intended to contribute to the objective of at least 13,600 buildings that have improved the common infrastructure of connectivity networks in order to convert them into very high-capacity networks.
The autonomous communities and cities of Ceuta and Melilla will have margins of flexibility to adapt the programs to the needs of each region, provided that they are aligned with the fulfillment of the milestones and objectives assigned to component 15 of the Recovery Plan. They must also establish independent management systems that facilitate the control of the execution of the aid and make visible that they correspond to programs financed with funds from the Recovery Plan.