Leaked document reveals plans for universal service across the EU

A document by the European Commission, obtained by EurActiv, stipulates the Commission’s plans for its new telecoms regulations. One of the new regulations would be to guarantee Internet access across the EU. The proposal will likely be met with resistance by national governments, as it puts a financial burden on their budgets, since the universal service ‘should be financed through general budget and not through sectorial funding.’ A few EU countries, including Finland and Spain already have universal service regulation, and the UK has announced plans for a similar rule last autumn.