The Digital Decade policy programme 2030 entered into force: the European Parliament, Member States and the Commission have jointly set for the first time concrete objectives and targets in four key areas of digital skills.
A fundamental political agreement has been reached between the European institutions and the Member States in the four key areas of digital skills, infrastructure including connectivity, the digitalisation of businesses, and online public services.
To assess progress and set benchmarks for completion by 2030, the objectives and targets are complemented by a cyclical cooperation process that began already.
What are the targets of the programme?
Starting now and leading up to 2030, EU Member States, in collaboration with the European Parliament, the Council of the EU and the Commission, will shape their digital policies to achieve targets in 4 areas to:
- Improve citizens’ basic and advanced digital skills;
- Improve the take-up of new technologies in the EU businesses (also small businesses), like artificial intelligence, data and cloud;
- Further advance the EU’s connectivity, computing and data infrastructure; and
- Make public services and administration available online.
The objectives of the policy programme, which include ensuring safe and secure digital technology, a competitive online environment for SMEs, safe cybersecurity practises, fair access to digital opportunities for everyone, and developing sustainable, energy- and resource-efficient innovations, are embodied in these targets.
“Technology will continue to play an increasingly important role in our societies and in our lives. With the monitoring mechanism we now have concrete goals for how to make digital technology work for all people and for businesses.”, declared Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital.
Multi-country projects
Large-scale projects are critical for achieving the digital targets and delivering the digital transformation by 2030. Member States will pool resources and work closely together through multi-country projects to develop digital capabilities that they would find difficult to provide on their own.
In particular, the policy programme created a process to identify and launch multi-country projects in areas such as 5G, quantum computers, and connected public administrations among others.
© European Commission 2023
