Transport, Telecommunications and Energy Council (Telecommunications), 21 May 2024

Main results

Ministers held a policy debate on a collaborative approach to coherent implementation of the recently adopted legislation in the digital and cyber field. The Council approved two sets of conclusions on the future of EU digital policy and the future of cybersecurity. Over an informal lunch, ministers exchanged views on how to promote digital skills and an inclusive digital transformation.

Today was in fact – without exaggerating - a historic day. We adopted the AI act, the first law of its kind in the world that ensures human-centric, innovative, and safe artificial intelligence for our citizens and businesses. But the work doesn’t stop there. We exchanged views on how to best implement recently adopted laws in the digital and cyber field and approved conclusions on the future of EU digital policy and cybersecurity identifying the main priorities for the next legislative cycle.

Petra De Sutter, Belgian deputy prime minister and minister for telecommunications 

We had a constructive and forward-looking meeting. Not only, have we taken stock of our important legislative work in the digital and cyber field these last years, but we have also provided political guidance for the future. Let’s work together to complete Europe’s digital transformation as soon as possible to the benefit of our citizens, businesses, and our societies as a whole.

Mathieu Michel, Belgian Secretary of State for digitisation 

A collaborative approach to coherent implementation of legislation

At the initiative of the presidency, the Council held a policy debate on a collaborative approach to coherent implementation of recently adopted legislation in the digital and cyber field. Ministers concurred that the EU’s digital rulebook plays an important role in Europe’s digital transformation, the strengthening of the digital single market and international rules setting. They exchanged views on how to ensure an effective implementation of the new legislations with a focus on actions that can stimulate their consistent and interoperable implementation and enforcement, and explored possible measures that can contribute to further developing the necessary cooperation with the private sector and other relevant stakeholders in order to strengthen European competitiveness and security. Ministers agreed that recent geopolitical developments should be taken into account in the implementation of the EU’s digital rulebook focusing on possible ways to translate this into the ambition of a European strategic autonomy that preserves the open economy.

Council conclusions on the future of EU digital policy

The Council approved conclusions on the future of EU digital policy identifying the main priorities for the EU digital policy that member states would like to see addressed in the upcoming legislative cycle. The set of conclusions covers topics such as digital rules and governance, societal effects of digitalisation, digital and cutting-edge technologies, secure and resilient infrastructure across the EU, data strategy, digital skills, green and digital transition, digital government, and the international dimension of EU digital policy.

• Council conclusions on the future of EU digital policy

Council conclusions on the future of cybersecurity

The Council approved conclusions on the future of EU cybersecurity focusing on implementation of the recently adopted cybersecurity legislation, harmonisation, a proper revision of the framework for certification schemes avoiding fragmentation in legislation, and the need to strengthen coordination as the number of instruments and actors increase. Ministers agreed that the way forward should be based on active cyber protection, addressing the funding and skills gap, in particular in the context of the new digital identity initiative. They concurred that a concrete overview of the roles and responsibilities of cybersecurity-related entities would be of key importance. Ministers also underlined that an active international policy would be needed to strengthen EU’s cooperation with third countries.

• Council conclusions on the future of cybersecurity: implement and protect together

Any other business

The Commission informed ministers on the state of play of various ongoing international initiatives in the digital field. It also updated ministers on the finalisation of the negotiations of the Council of Europe convention on artificial intelligence, human rights, democracy and the rule of law. 

The presidency presented a report on the main takeaways of the high-level conference on the need for a new postal services directive held on 11 April 2024 in Brussels and provided an overview of the digital, telecom and postal events held in the first half of 2024.

The Danish, Czech and Polish delegations informed the Council about how to empower citizens and businesses in the digital transformation through a streamlined and ambitious use of the European digital identity wallet.

Finally, the upcoming Hungarian presidency presented its priorities and work programme for the second half of 2024.

• Presidency Report: Main take-aways of the High-Level Conference "On the Need for a New Postal Services Directive"

Informal lunch 

Over an informal lunch, ministers discussed the subject of promoting digital skills and an inclusive digital transformation. Ministers exchanged views on how long-term affordability of internet for all citizens can be ensured. They reflected also on how the EU can step up efforts to address the digital skills gap, including the gender digital divide, as well as the lack of ICT specialists, in order to foster inclusive economic growth, promote social cohesion and ensure competitiveness in the digital age. In particular, they shared views on possible steps to implement a European approach for recognising micro-credentials and certification within the labour market. Finally, ministers touched upon major actions that are needed to reach 20 million ICT specialists in the EU and better gender convergence by 2030.

Adoption of “A” items 

As items without discussion, the Council adopted the artificial intelligence (AI) act, as well as the EU’s electricity market design regulation and directive, and the gas and hydrogen ‘package’.

• Regulation laying down harmonised rules on artificial intelligence (artificial intelligence act)
• Regulation on the Union’s electricity market design
• Directive on the Union’s electricity market design
• Regulation on the internal markets for renewable gas, natural gas and hydrogen
• Directive on common rules for the internal markets for renewable gas, natural gas and hydrogen