Failure to invest in super-fast broadband could leave Europe lagging behind other parts of the world on a range of technology-related issues, a leading European commissioner has warned.

Robert Madelin, the European Commission (EC) director general for communications networks, content and technology, told attendees of the NextGen 2012 conference in London that a shortfall in funding would affect everything from e-health to cross-border ID systems.

"Look at cyber crime - we need networks that are faster and able to help nations share timely intelligence for early warnings and knowledge sharing, and we need networks that can provide that," he was quoted by V3 as saying.

Consequently, Mr Madelin said it is essential that businesses understand the benefits of fast broadband, such as cloud computing and adoption of big data.

For its part, the UK is attempting to achieve the best super-fast broadband network in Europe by the end of 2015, with 90 per cent of homes and businesses set to be connected over the next three years.

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