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.