Strasbourg Region Head Richert+Economy Minister Macron to EF+o.Media: Broadband = Human Productivity

*Strasbourg/Big East Region HeadQuarters/Angelo Marcopolo/- Live at superb Natural Landscapes in the French part of EU's Franco-German Core, with High Speed Internet, and near EU Parliament plenary sessions, CoE, ECHR, EU Ombudsperson, Shenghen, EUROCORPS, European Radio-TV ARTE, etc., would soon become a real possibility in Strasbourg's new "Big East" Region, thanks to a huge, 100% Optic Fiber  Infrastructure Investment on the Biggest Network in the Country, for which, the productive development of the Human factor is part of its Public Service Mission, as the Region's President replied in substance to "Eurofora"s Questions, joined by the French Economy Minister at a meeting with the Press.

Speaking to "Eurofora" and other Media Just before a Debate at EU Parliament with EU Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Businesses and SMEs, Elzbieta Bienkowska and MEPs on Industrial reconstruction, f.ex. in Steel etc., French Economy, Industry and Digital Minister Emmanuel Macron and New "Big East" Region President, experienced former Minister, Philippe Richert, after anouncing a new project of Modern Big Infrastructure for High Speed Internet in the Next few Years throughout all Strasbourg's rural areas, stressed, in substance, that Large Access to High Speed Internet can boost Human Productivity which is a key factor of Industrial Competitivity.

Macron pointed, in particular, at the "Human Capital", (including "Training" of Workers for new jobs in Reconstruction sectors), together with Scientific Research and Technological development for critical "Innovations", among the "upper" side factors of Industrial Competititivity, which have a decisive role to play in the European and Global competition, in addition to the also necessary "defensive" factors of "Cost", (such as Taxes, Wages, Energy, etc), as he said.

 -In this regard, Strasbourg's "Region has a lot of Wonderful (Natural) Landscapes. By adding there also High Speed Internet, wouldn't it become even more attractive, well beyond the establishment of new Businesses, also for the Residence (or even permanent Homes) of People working in Cities as Strasbourg, f.ex. in the European/Paneuropean Institutions, University, Public and/or Private Enterprises, etc ?", "Eurofora" asked Richert, (indirectly, but surely, pointing, f.ex., at the well known precedent of Texas/USA, certain Swiss, German and/or British areas, etc).

  - Indeed, President Richert had just stressed, earlier, to "Eurofora", that High Speed Internet set up "is already done for the European Institutions and Urban areas"; so that "Now, it's also about Rural space", i.e. mainly in the middle of Nature, (which is, notoriously, near Strasbourg).

 The New "Big East" French Region, which Borders 3 German Länders, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Belgium Comp., f.ex. : ....) , is one of the Less Populated yet, in that Central €uroZone area, as its particularly low Population/Space Ratio clearly reveals, while several splendid Natural spots are notoriously near Strasbourg.

 - From such points of view, (including  also Historic Cultural assets), "already, Today Alsace is an attractive region, which has many Advantages to develop from the point of view of Tourism", in addition to the forthcoming HSI new infrastructures, he replied now to our complementary question, (Comp. Supra).

 - "However, it's not first in Tourism Services that the valorisation (exploitation, use) [of High Speed Internet] will  be more immediate", he soberly replied.

- " Even if it could boost Tourism too, in order to fullfil its Mission", for the overall development of the region, he observed, concluding.

=> In fact, Richert appeared more keen to focus on various immediate advantages of High Speed Internet for Old and New "Inhabitants" of the Region. I.e.  obviously including those who would be attracted here in the foreseable Future also because they would like to have a Home in the middle of Nature, connected to High Speed Internet, and near European/Paneuropean Institutions, as well as various other outlets.

With the right choice made for a 100% Optic Fiber Network, the new Big East Area's Inhabitants will be able to make good use of the various opportunities opened by the latest Digital developments, such as, f.ex., "the Internet of Things", and/or "Big Data", etc. added Macron, (while, this might have been curtailed by more classic technologies, such as, f.ex., an enhanced Cable network, etc).

+ Moreover, both President Richert himself and Minister Macron, underlined also another, notoriously Important parameter, concerning Human Productivity, i.e. the World famous Risk of "Digital Divide", that Strasbourg's Region is decided to strive to overcome :

Indeed, the projected High Speed Internet Network is due to cover, progressively, all the areas of the "Big East" Region, starting by 3 departments which have already "advanced" in the necessary preparations for that, (mainly around Strasbourg, in Alsace, etc), and continuing, further on, its extension also to 7 other Departments, which need to catch up.

Richert strongly confirmed Strasbourg Region's "political Will" to guarantee universal Access of all Inhabitants to High Speed Internet throughout all the areas, without exclusions, and Macron saluted this commitment, stressing both its "Economic and Social, but also Civic" importance.

>>> For this purpose, more than 600 Millions € are invested initially at the Alsace, (closest to Strasbourg), and a Total of more than 1,5 Billion € is expected for all the "Big East" Region, later-on, with about 377.000 Plugs in Alsace (in 6 Years), and more than 2 Millions Plugs throughout the entire New Region to follow, making it the Biggest High Speed Network in France.

In this regard, the European Investment Bank (EIB), headed by President Hoyer, (Comp. Hoyer's Replies to "Eurofora"s Questions, both when he served as German Minister for EU Affairs, and as EIB's Chief, f.ex. at : ....... + .......), played a Crucial role by adding 102 Millions € which allowed to form the "Bankers' pool" supporting financialy this project of Public-Private partnership, where 60% of the Investment comes from Private sources, while the French State covers 50% of the Public cost, and the Local and Regional Authorities the rest.

EIB's role was particularly hailed by Macron, speaking in Strasbourg almost a the same moment that the Prime Minister of France, Manuel Valls, was making an official visit in Luxembourg, at EIB's Headquarters, where he signed several Agreements, after meeting with President Hoyer and making a Speech on the usefulness of this Strategic main tool of the famous "Juncker" Plan for support to EU Investments during the next few years, (Comp. f.ex. Statements by the new EU Commission's President to "Eurofora", just after his Press Conference at EU Parliament in Strasbourg in which he presented for the 1st time his overall Plan : .....).

Valls is due to vist EU Parliament in Strasbourg tomorrow, Tuesday, April 12, mainly in order to exchange views with its Conference of Presidents and hold a Press point with EU Parliament's Head, Martin Schultz, later in the afternoon, in addition to various other political contacts, at the eve of exceptionaly important Debates and Votes, including on the PNR, EU-Turkey deal for Migrants, the Annual EU Report on Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, etc. According to the latest news, he is due to be succeeded, (after Portuguese President, Rebelo de Sousa's official venue and Plenary speech on Wednesday, 13 April), also by Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, who scheduled a Launch with Schultz at Thursday Noon, April 14, (i.e. almost during the Voting time : Comp. Supra).

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+ Meanwhile, it's also People's Historic Cultural Identity and assets which could be Saveguarded and/or promoted thanks to Broadband, High Speed Internet, as reminded Today f.ex. the opening of a landmark Exhibition, at the Big East Region's Headquarters, on "God : From Speech to Writtings", organized by the experienced Expert on European/International issues, Peter Meyer, currently President of the Conservatory of Religious Heritage.

Indeed, as "Eurofora" had already discussed several times in the Past with key CoE's Senior Officers, Digital Technologies, (including 3D for Monuments, but also "simple" Digitalisation for Historic Texts, Photo technology for Paintings, etc) can find some very useful and interesting applications in helping to Reproduce, Saveguard and/or Transmit and Publish for a selective or Universal Access, many Religious and other Cultural Heritage gems, (some of which might be, otherwise, threatened to be of difficult access, forgotten, degraded or even destroyed by various risks).

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++ Last, but not least, another Interesting point is also that the Neighbouring German Regions have had prepared some more or less similar Plans on Broadband Internet, etc., at the German side of EU's Franco-German core.

Moreover, already, as early as since December 2010, in a key meeting for the Superior Rhine Euro-Region (Oberrhein), at nearby Offenburg, (his Printing business' HQ), the famous Head of one of the Biggest Media Companies, Hubert Burda, (who controls also "Focus" and various other Publications in Germany and other European or Third Countries), had proposed to create a big and dense broadband Internet Networks' cluster linking both sides of the Rhine river between them, which would boost this EuroRegion's potential for innovative development, (See "Eurofora"s NewsReports from that exceptional Offenburg's Franco-German event).

In this regard, Today, Richert regretted the fact that, until now, all French Regions invest just about 100 Millions € on Scientific Research and Technological development, (a key factor also for industrial Competitivity : Comp. Supra), at the same time that the German Länder invest on RST more than 10 Billions €, as he said.

Meanwhile, parallel to President Richert's well known readiness to support Franco-German integration particularly at this core €urozone's area around Strasbourg, Minister Macron (who has recently proposed a Public Debate about making  a Leap forward in this direction), anounced also his intention to visit soon Germany anew, in a few weeks' time, including in order to discuss some relevant matters.

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