West Worcestershire MP Harriett Baldwin has today announced that European blocks on rolling out local broadband projects have now been lifted. The MP has been in dialogue with Culture Secretary Maria Miller and Minister Ed Vaizey to discuss the block by EU bureaucrats preventing widescale upgrade projects for the county. The State Aid rules were preventing Worcestershire County Council spending more than £3.3 million of taxpayer’s money on rural broadband schemes. This week, the European Commission Vice President Joaquin Almunia confirmed that the county broadband upgrade can go ahead alongside workd across the UK. In a statement he said that the project is ‘big step towards the achievement of the EU Digital Agenda targets and a strong impetus for growth in the UK’. Harriett has been a long-time campaigner for proper investment into local broadband infrastructure and will this week meet with a senior BT director to discuss the company’s plan for supporting economic growth in the region. The meeting will be attended by local district and county council representatives as well as local businesses. Harriett commented: “I am delighted that the so-called ‘State Aid’ block has been lifted at long last. European bureaucracy has been a thorn in the side for too long but now we finally have the green light. “People, particularly in rural areas, have been waiting far too long for a proper internet connection and now all eyes are on the county council to swiftly bring solutions forward.”