About the Committee

The Investments & ESG Committee brings together the work of the Council's former Investors, Sustainability and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion committees under a single structure, reflecting how closely capital, environmental performance and social responsibility are now linked in digital infrastructure.

The Committee provides a forum for investors, operators and industry experts to examine the financial and non-financial factors shaping fibre and data centre investment across Europe. Its scope spans the investment landscape and financing conditions for network rollout, the environmental footprint and sustainability credentials of fibre infrastructure, and the governance and diversity practices that support a resilient, competitive industry.

By combining these perspectives, the Committee aims to give members a clearer view of how ESG considerations influence investment decisions,  and how the sector can demonstrate its value to the investors, policymakers and stakeholders who rely on that evidence.

This page is new and growing. The Committee's reports, studies, and other resources will be added here as they're published - in the meantime, you can explore the latest assets below.

FTTH/B in Rural Areas 2024

On the occasion of the FTTH Conference 2024, the Market Intelligence Committee of the FTTH Council Europe presented the 2024 update to its FTTH/B in Rural Areas report, introducing the latest insights in terms of FTTH/B coverage in rural Europe, and the main strategies implemented by National government to speed up rural FTTH/B deployment.

The report shows that by September 2023, approximately 64% of European households (EU27+UK) are covered by FTTH/B networks, with 48% of rural inhabitants now enjoying the capabilities offered by full-fibre connectivity, marking an increase of 7 percentage points year-on-year. An increasing number of countries have launched projects to address underserved areas, particularly rural regions, where reliable networks are essential. Authorities and regulators are defining ambitious national programs to achieve Digital Agenda goals for 2025/2030.

The report emphasizes that the coverage of rural areas in EU27+UK is growing steadily, despite at a very different pace among European countries. The five countries with the highest Rural FTTH/B coverage are Romania (92%), Denmark (90%), The Netherlands (83%), Latvia (83%), and Spain (79%).

The entire ecosystem has heightened its focus on achieving full-fibre connectivity, speeding up both deployments and adoption rates. In European countries with a technology-neutral approach, FTTH/B deployment is advancing, although VDSL technologies continue to play a significant role, as seen in the UK, Germany, and Italy.

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