3.9. Coordination of the development of high-speed internet access Problem Identification There is a recommendation from the European Commission that a Broadband Competence Office (BCO) should be established in each EU Member State to contribute to the creation of a single digital market with an emphasis on the development of high-speed electronic communication networks, very high-capacity networks - see Commission Communication SWD (2016) 300 final, chapter 4.5. The BCO office will be active in the following areas: - - - to increase the efficiency and support the effectiveness of investments in the development of high-speed networks, to support the implementation of a single digital market by accelerating public investments in high-speed networks, also via the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the European agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD); to provide advice and assistance to citizens and businesses in the development of high-speed networks (coverage, mapping, quality of service and penetration, future investment plans, etc.), to provide technical advice and assistance related to the development of high capacity networks; to promote expertise, i.e. the administrative capacity of public authorities in planning, implementing and monitoring of high-speed network projects; to assist in the coordination with the relevant EU institutions and bodies (EIAH, Jaspers, DG REGIO, DG AGRI, DG COMP, DG CNECT), to promote the use of subsidies and financial instruments, to promote aggregation of demand for high-speed services. In addition to the above, it seems very effective for the Czech Republic that the BCO office would promote the selected tasks of Action Plan 2.0, including but not limited to: - - - to promote and assist the coordination in the construction/major renovation of line structures with the development of very high capacity networks (with an aim to reducing investment resources); to promote and pursue the removal of existing barriers and the reduction of investment intensity (reducing the amount of serviceability, eliminating the requirements to apply extra costs for the repair of road and pavement surfaces, eliminating duplicate charges, etc.), to look for ways to speed up the process of designing and development of electronic communication networks. Proposed Measures Establishment of the BCO office with the Ministry of Industry and Trade with nation-wide operations. (The BCO should be established on the basis of the results of an evaluation of the pilot project that has taken place for several months and taking into account any recommendations by the regional authorities and self-governing authorities.) 23