The Digital Decade policy programme 2030 has entered into force. The European Parliament, Member States and the European Commission have jointly set concrete objectives and targets in four key areas in this strategic vision for the development of the digital economy. 

Digital society and digital technologies bring new ways to learn, entertain, work, explore, and fulfil ambitions. They also bring new freedoms, rights and responsibilities, and allow us to reach out beyond our physical communities, geographical locations, and social positions. A political agreement between the European institutions and the Member States has been reached regarding digital skills, infrastructure including connectivity, the digitalisation of businesses, and online public services.

Targets of the programme

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 these four areas to:

• Improve citizens’ basic and advanced digital skills;
• Improve the take-up of new technologies in EU businesses, such as artificial intelligence, data and cloud;
• Further advance the EU’s connectivity, computing and data infrastructure;
• 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 small and medium-sized enterprises, 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.

Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital AgeMulti-country projects

Large-scale projects are critical for achieving the digital targets and delivering the digital transformation by 2030. EU 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 has created a process to identify and launch multi-country projects in areas such as 5G, quantum computers, and connected public administrations among others.

Further information

The Digital Decade programme came into force on 9 January 2023.

To assess progress and set benchmarks for completion of the programme by 2030, the objectives and targets are complemented by a cyclical cooperation process, which has already begun.

Decision (EU) 2022/2481 Of The European Parliament And Of The Council