When a call is open, municipalities within the European Union are eligible to apply for a voucher as part of the WiFi4EU initiative. The vouchers, worth €15,000 each, aim to help provide your community with a free public connection.
How it works
The WiFi4EU initiative is open to municipalities or associations formed by municipalities (applying on behalf of one or more of their members). The list of eligible entities is updated by the Member States before each call for applications.
Once a municipality wins a voucher, it is free to install the WiFi4EU hotspots in any public place that can be considered the centre of their community life: town hall, public libraries, health centres, museum, square, park, etc.
The voucher provides a fixed amount of funding per municipality. It funds the equipment and installation costs, while the beneficiary pays for the connectivity and maintenance of the equipment for 3 years. The municipalities that receive a voucher selects the 'centres of public life' where the WiFi4EU hotspots (wireless access points) are installed. They may also use the WiFi4EU voucher to partially fund a project of higher value.
Voucher Assignment
The vouchers are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. In order to ensure a geographical balance, each participating country are entitled to a minimum of 15 vouchers.
How to apply
The WiFi4EU scheme is delivered through simple and non-bureaucratic procedures such as online applications, payments by vouchers and light-touch monitoring requirements. Municipalities wishing to apply for a voucher first register at the WiFi4EU portal. Once registered, the municipalities apply at the time that the call opens by revisiting the portal and sending their application. The voucher winners are selected on a first-come, first-served basis.
The map of WiFi4EU winners
The WiFi4EU initiative is having a concrete impact on municipalities across Europe by promoting free access to Wi-Fi connectivity for citizens in public spaces. Check out the country maps (.pdf) to discover where you may be able to connect to the free and public WiFi4EU network!
Austria | Belgium | Bulgaria | Cyprus | Czech Republic | Germany | Denmark | Estonia | Greece |
Spain | Finland | France | Croatia | Hungary | Ireland | Iceland | Italy | Lithuania | Luxembourg | Latvia | Malta |
Netherlands | Norway | Poland | Portugal | Romania | Sweden | Slovakia | Slovenia | United Kingdom
Latest News
The European Commission announced the results of the second WiFi4EU call for proposals, which ran from 4 to 5 April. 3,400 municipalities will receive vouchers each worth €15,000 to cover the cost of installing Wi-Fi hotspots in public spaces, including town halls, public libraries, museums, public parks or squares. The total budget for this call was €51 million and applications came from all the countries taking part in the programme, namely EU Member States, Iceland and Norway.
Who will benefit from the WiFi4EU programme? How to apply for WiFi4EU? Are there any specific conditions for the projects?
What is the budget of WiFi4EU?
The European Commission has launched the WiFi4EU web portal. As of now, municipalities all over Europe are invited to register their details ahead of the first call for projects in mid-May, for the chance to benefit from EU financing to build free public wireless internet hotspots.
The European Parliament, the Council and the Commission reached a political agreement on the WiFi4EU initiative and its funding on 29 May 2017.
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