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COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Brussels, 27/05/2008
COM(2008) 313 final
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
COMMITTEE AND THE COMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
ADVANCING THE INTERNET
Action Plan for the deployment of Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) in Europe
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COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
COMMITTEE AND THE COMITTEE OF THE REGIONS
ADVANCING THE INTERNET
Action Plan for the deployment of Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) in Europe
1.
OBJECTIVE
It is the objective of this Action Plan to support the widespread introduction of the
next version of the Internet Protocol (IPv6) because
• Timely implementation of IPv6 is required as the pool of IP addresses provided by
the current protocol version 4 is being depleted
• IPv6 with its huge address space provides a platform for innovation in IP based
services and applications
2.
RATIONALE FOR ACTION
2.1.
Preparing for the growth in Internet usage and for future innovation
One common element of the Internet architecture is the “Internet Protocol” (IP)
which in essence gives any device or good connecting to the Internet a number, an
address, so that it can communicate with other devices and/or goods. This address
should generally be unique, to ensure global connectivity. The current version, IPv4,
already provides for more than 4 billion such addresses.1 Even this, however, will not
be enough to keep pace with the continuing growth of the Internet. Being aware of
this long-term problem the Internet community developed an upgraded protocol,
IPv6, which has been gradually deployed since the late 90s.2
In a previous Communication on IPv63 the European Commission made the case for
the early adoption of this protocol in Europe. This Communication has been
successful in establishing IPv6 Task Forces4, enabling IPv6 on research networks,
supporting s