The EU’s Digital Decade 2030 policy programme, which sets targets and goals to drive Europe’s digital transformation, has recently come into force.

On 14 December 2022, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union adopted Decision (EU) 2022/2481 establishing the Strategic Programme for the Digital Decade 2030, followed up in January by the joint declaration (2023/C 23/01) of the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union and the European Commission on digital rights and principles for the decade.

Indeed, a digital society and digital technologies bring with them new ways to learn, entertain, work, explore and fulfil ambitions. They also bring new freedoms and rights and provide opportunities for EU citizens to move beyond physical communities, geographic locations and social positions. However, they also set many challenges to ensure that a digitised society respects the core values of the Union where no one is left behind, all enjoy freedom, protection and equity.

An annual cooperation model for multinational projects

The “Digital Decade 2030” strategic programme, including by launching and supporting multinational projects, sets out to establish a model of annual cooperation to achieve common targets and goals that are often impossible for individual states to reach. Projects will cover topics of great complexity and importance, such as: data infrastructure, low-power processors, 5G communication, HPC (high-performance computing), secure quantum communication public administration, blockchain, digital innovation hubs and digital skills

The cooperation mechanism will include:

• A structured, transparent and common monitoring system based on the Digitisation of Economy and Society Index (DESI) to gauge progress toward each of the 2030 goals;
• An annual “State of the Digital Decade” report, in which the Commission will assess progress and recommend possible actions;
• Every two years, national strategic roadmaps adapted for the digital decade where Member States will describe the actions taken or planned to achieve the ultimate goals;
• The implementation of major multinational and transnational projects by creating partnerships, including with the involvement of the private sector and reliance on the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF).

Programme objectives

“Digital Decade 2030” objectives will be measurable (KPIs have been defined) for each of the four key areas identified:

• Having a digitally qualified population and highly skilled digital professionals;
• Promoting the digital transformation of businesses;
• Improving connectivity, security, computing capabilities and data infrastructure;
• Increasing the supply of digital public and administrative services, encouraging online migration.

To learn more about the “Digital Decade 2030” and download all the useful documentation click here, or visit the page in Italian