EU Digital Strategy
At a time when the internet and digital technologies are transforming our world, a Europe fit for the digital age is one of the European Commission’s six political priorities.
In March 2021 the Commission proposed a path to the Digital Decade. This policy programme is guided by the 2030 Digital Compass – a plan to achieve digital transformation of the EU economy and society.
The Digital Compass aims towards a secure human-centred digital ecosystem, where citizens are empowered, and businesses prosper from the digital potential. The Compass indicates four cardinal points for this trajectory: digital skills, secure and performant digital infrastructure, digital transformation of businesses and the digitalisation of public services.
This political agenda aligns with EU norms and standards to strengthen the EU’s digital sovereignty. A number of budgetary instruments will support the investments necessary to build Europe’s Digital Decade on solid foundations.
The agenda calls for an intensification of work that began in the previous decade to accelerate Europe’s digital transformation, building on progress towards a fully functioning Digital Single Market.
The EU’s Digital Single Market Strategy paved the way for closer digital harmonisation between the EU Member States. Launched in 2015 , it aimed to contribute to economic growth, boosting jobs, competition, investment and innovation in the EU, based on three pillars:
- Access: better access for consumers and businesses to digital goods and services across Europe;
- Environment: creating the right conditions and a level playing field for digital networks and innovative services to flourish;
- Economy & Society: maximising the growth potential of the digital economy.
Because digital is an EU priority, it is also a priority for the EU strategic partner countries to build towards a better and more harmonised digital environment. The Eastern Partnership (EaP) policy objectives for beyond 2020 include target actions that will support the development of the Digital Single Market: investment in competitive and innovative economies, in people and knowledge societies, in security and cyber resilience and in digital transformation.
Extending the benefits of the Digital Single Market to Eastern partner countries is an important objective of the EU4Digital Facility.
The EU4Digital Initiative
The EU4Digital Initiative is the EU’s flagship regional programme to support digital transformation and the harmonisation of digital markets in countries included in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) joint policy initiative.
In the context of the European Neighbourhood Policy and the Eastern Partnership, the EU4Digital Initiative aims to extend the benefits of the EU’s Digital Single Market to the Eastern partner countries. By developing a stronger digital economy and society, this will generate more jobs and economic growth, help businesses and improve the lives of EaP citizens.
Through the EU4Digital Initiative, the EU supports the reduction of roaming tariffs, the development of high-speed broadband to boost economies and expand e-services, the coordination of cyber security and the harmonisation of digital frameworks across society – from logistics to health, enhanced skills and the creation of jobs in digital industries.
To support a resilient digital transformation, the EU4Digital Initiative helps eliminate barriers to pan-European online services for citizens, public administrators and businesses. This results in improved online services at better prices and with greater choice. It will attract investments and boost trade and employment; existing companies will grow faster and start-ups will be created more easily. The Initiative also helps to prepare the grounds for investment projects in the field of digital transformation, as part of the Economic and Investment Plan for the Eastern Partnership region.
Central to the EU4Digital Initiative is the three-year EU-funded EU4Digital Facility Phase II (2022-2025). This programme builds on the achievements of the Facility’s first phase (2019-2022). The programme focuses on strengthening Eastern partner countries’ economy and governance through digital transformation in key thematic areas:
- Telecom Rules
- eTrust and cross-border digital services
- eTrade
- eHealth
- ICT Innovation and Start-Up Ecosystems
- Digital skills
These areas of support mirror the six EU4Digital Networks created in 2016, which are composed of representatives from the Eastern partner countries and EU Member States.
Under the EU4Digital umbrella are other projects, including EU4Digital: Cybersecurity EAST – which is strengthening cyber security and increasing trust in the use of digital services – and EU4Digital: EaPConnect – which is extending network infrastructure and services to bring together EaP and EU research and education communities.
Read more about the projects under EU4Digital and about the EU policies and EaP policy pillars that provide the context and objectives for the EU4Digital Initiative.
