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A digital future for Europe

The digital transition is a key element for the EU's economic development and strategic autonomy. The EU is working on a number of policy areas to facilitate a digital future for Europe.

Your life online: how is the EU making it easier and safer for you?

The European Union is actively working on improving the digital environment for the benefit of all Europeans. Our digital life needs to be safe, easy and respectful of basic freedoms.

Read our feature story to discover how the EU is creating a common eID, wants rules for a safe and trustworthy AI and facilitates data sharing for medical research.

The visual includes various elements representing the digital world. These include a woman typing on a computer and a hand clicking on a screen. The background is blue and green,

The digital transition in the EU

Digital technologies are changing peoples' lives - from the way we communicate to how we live and work. Digitalisation has the potential to provide solutions for many of the challenges Europe and Europeans are facing and offers opportunities such as:

  • creating jobs
  • advancing education
  • boosting competitiveness and innovation
  • fighting climate change and enabling a green transition

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, digitalisation is a key component for both economic recovery and the resilience of Europe's health and care sectors. Digitalisation has given the EU further impetus to accelerate technological transition, by boosting eHealth and promoting enabling technologies like cloud computing, quantum technologies and high-performance computing.

To make our societies and economies fit for the digital age, the EU is committed to creating a safe digital space for citizens and businesses in a manner that is inclusive and accessible for all. This means enabling a digital transformation that safeguards EU values and protects citizens' fundamental rights and security, while also enhancing Europe's digital sovereignty. 

The 'Path to the Digital Decade' is the EU policy programme for the digital transformation. It sets specific digital targets and milestones to be reached by 2030. The programme puts digital skills and education at the forefront and is structured around four areas: skills, business, government and infrastructure.

Key policy areas of the EU digital strategy

The EU is working on several policies to bring about the digital transformation.

Digital decade

In March 2021, the Commission presented the Digital Compass which sets out a vision and targets to foster digitalisation in the EU by 2030. The strategy includes a proposed decision on establishing the 'Path to the Digital Decade' policy programme, which sets the governance framework to reach the 2030 digital objectives.

The Council adopted the programme on 8 December 2022.

An older woman smiling while using a tablet, surrounded by abstract lines of data and network cables, illustrating digital connectivity and adoption.
'Path to the Digital Decade': the EU's plan to achieve a digital Europe by 2030

'Path to the Digital Decade': the EU's plan to achieve a digital Europe by 2030

European declaration on digital rights and principles

The EU, within the scope of the Digital Compass, wants to adopt a European declaration on digital rights and principles. The objective of the declaration is to define citizens' rights in the digital space and develop a framework of principles which the EU and member states agree to uphold in the digital transformation.

In December 2021, EU telecommunications ministers discussed the Commission's proposal. They expressed strong support for the declaration, which would make it clear that the same fundamental rights are equally valid online as they are offline.

The negotiations between the three EU institutions on the declaration were concluded on 14 November 2022. The Council adopted the declaration on 5 December 2022.

On 20 October 2023, the Council approved conclusions on digital empowerment to protect and enforce fundamental rights in the digital age.

Illustration: Towards a digital Europe.
Towards a digital Europe (infographic)

Towards a digital Europe (infographic)

Digital services

Online platforms are an important part of the EU digital market and economy. EU member states recognise the need to strengthen, modernise and clarify the rules for digital services to:

  • ensure the safety of users online
  • allow innovative digital businesses to grow

The EU's legal framework for digital services has been unchanged since the adoption of the e‑commerce directive in 2000. In the meantime, digital technologies, business models and services have changed at an unprecedented pace. 

The digital services package is the EU’s response to the need to regulate the digital space. The two legislative acts it contains aim to define measures to protect users while supporting innovation in the digital economy. 

The digital services act  (DSA) sets out new rules to protect EU citizens’ fundamental rights online. It entered into force on 16 November 2022.

The digital markets act (DMA) creates a level playing field for EU businesses by regulating big tech. It entered into force on 1 November 2022.

Data economy

With the development of technology, more and more data is available. The Council aims to create a single market for data in line with common EU values, allowing more data sharing and data re-use across sectors and across borders.

The European Commission has proposed a strategy for European data that will facilitate the digital transformation for the next five years. During the October 2020 Special European Council, the European Council welcomed the strategy, which supports the EUʼs global digital ambitions to build a true European competitive data economy, while ensuring European values and a high level of data security, data protection and privacy.

An important component of the European strategy for data is the data governance act (DGA), which aims to promote the availability of data for reuse across sectors and borders.

The DGA will set up robust mechanisms to increase trust in data intermediation services and foster data altruism across the EU, while playing a central role in enabling and guiding the creation of EU-wide common interoperable data spaces in strategic sectors such as energy, mobility and health.

The Council approved the data governance act on 16 May 2022.

The Council is also working on a regulation on harmonised rules on fair access to and use of data (data act).

The main objectives of that Commission's proposal for a data act are to ensure fairness in the allocation of value from data among actors in the data economy and to foster access to and use of data. 

The Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the data act on 27 June 2023.

With a view to accelerating digital transition and smarter mobility in the EU, the Council adopted a new framework on the deployment of intelligent transport systems (ITS) by revising the 2010 directive.

The revised ITS directive aims to accelerate the availability and enhance the interoperability of digital data that feed services, such as multimodal journey planners and navigation services. This will allow vehicles and road infrastructure to communicate with one another, for example to warn about unexpected events, such as traffic jams. The new directive was adopted by the Council on 23 October 2023. 

Digital taxation

Digital services have become a growing challenge for existing taxation systems. The current rules governing international taxation matters were designed to apply to businesses with a physical presence in a country. As a result, profits from digital activities are often not taxed in the country where the profits are generated.

Work is ongoing on adapting EU countries' taxation systems to make them fit for the digital age. The EU plays an important role in this process, not least in the context of the current negotiations within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), seeking a long-term solution based on a global consensus. The Council is nevertheless ready to examine possible solutions at EU level, if the prospect of a global solution is not forthcoming.

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI) can contribute to a more innovative, efficient, sustainable and competitive economy, while also improving safety, education and healthcare for citizens. It also supports the fight against climate change. While supporting the development of AI technology, the Council recognises the potential risks and encourages an ethical and human-centric approach to this technology.

In October 2020, the European Council invited the Commission to: 

  • propose ways to increase European and national public and private investments in artificial intelligence research, innovation and deployment
  • ensure better coordination and more networks and synergies between European research centres based on excellence
  • provide a clear, objective definition of high-risk artificial intelligence systems

In April 2021, the Commission released a proposal for a regulation aiming to harmonise rules on artificial intelligence (AI act) and a coordinated plan which includes a set of joint actions for the Commission and member states. This package of rules aims to improve trust in artificial intelligence and foster the development and update of AI technology. 

The Council discussed the proposed act in October 2021, highlighting on the one hand the considerable societal and economic benefits that AI can bring across a wide range of sectors and on the other the need to protect privacy and ensure safety and security.

The Council adopted its position on new rules for AI on 6 December 2022.

After months of negotiations and three-day 'marathon' talks, on 9 December 2023 the Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the law.

The final text was formally approved by both Parliament and Council, as the EU's co-legislators, on 23 April and 21 May 2024, respectively. The AI act should apply from 2026.

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Connectivity

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven the need for fast and ubiquitous connectivity across the EU to give all Europeans access to digital technology. The EU has set objectives for connectivity for 2025, including:

  • gigabit connectivity for all of the main socio-economic drivers
  • uninterrupted 5G coverage for all urban areas and major terrestrial transport paths
  • access to connectivity offering at least 100 Mbps for all European households

The EU’s overall objective is to develop harmonised rules for connectivity services in the EU. Some actions already delivered are:

  • supporting wireless networks such as 5G
  • ending roaming charges in the EU

In April 2022, the EU adopted revised rules on roaming in the EU. These ensure that people can continue to make calls, send text messages and surf on the web while travelling in other EU countries without surcharges. The new rules will apply until 2032. 

Cybersecurity

As cyber threats and crimes increase in number and sophistication, the EU is working to improve its response capabilities and safeguard the integrity, security and resilience of digital infrastructure, communication networks and services. A stronger cybersecurity response can ensure greater trust in digital technology and protect safe, open and secure cyberspace. During the Special European Council in October 2020, EU leaders called for the enhancement of the EUʼs ability to protect itself against cyber threats, to provide for a secure communication environment, especially through quantum encryption and to ensure access to data for judicial and law enforcement purposes. 

As more and more criminals use technology to plan and commit offences, authorities are becoming increasingly reliant on e-evidence to fight crime. The EU is currently discussing new rules to make accessing e-evidence easier and faster.

European digital identification (eID)

In October 2020, the European Council called for the development of an EU-wide framework for secure public electronic identification (eID), including interoperable digital signatures, to provide people with control over their online identity and data as well as to enable access to public, private and cross-border digital services.

The Commission presented a proposal for a regulation on the European eID in June 2021. The proposal includes the creation of a European digital wallet app that allows for safe storage, management and sharing of documents. 

The Council adopted its position for negotiations on eID on 6 December 2022. The Council wants to make sure the European digital wallet is highly secure, respectful of data privacy and free for everyone.

The Council and the Parliament agreed on the eID regulation on 29 June 2023.

Digitalisation of justice

The further digitalisation of member states' judicial systems can improve access to justice for citizens and businesses and can increase the effectiveness and efficiency of court proceedings.

Some EU countries have already started using digital tools in the field of justice, for example:

  • conducting of digital court proceedings
  • electronic communication between the parties
  • electronic transmission of documents
  • use of video-hearing and conferencing

Member states should use more extensively digital tools for judicial proceedings without undermining fundamental principles such as the independence and impartiality of the courts.

On 8 December 2023, the Council adopted the regulation on the digitalisation of cross-border judicial cooperation and access to justice and an accompanying directive which will facilitate electronic communication in the context of cross-border judicial cooperation procedures in civil, commercial and criminal matters. 

EU ministers of justice also recently approved an e-justice strategy for the years 2024 to 2028. The strategy will give guidance to member states in implementing a broad range of legislative and non-legislative initiatives which, together, aim at speeding up the digitalisation process and the use of digital services in the justice area.

Digital information exchange

In order to boost the digital information exchange in terrorism cases between national authorities and Eurojust, the EU made a proposal for new legislation in December 2021.

Under the new rules, member states will need to provide Eurojust with information on any criminal investigations regarding terrorist offences as soon as such cases are referred to the judicial authorities. The proposal: 

  • creates a modern, digital case-management system which stores this information and allows it to be cross-checked 
  • empowers Eurojust to better detect links between transnational investigations and prosecutions in the field of terrorism and to proactively inform member states about the links found 
  • creates a secure digital communication channel between member states and Eurojust 
  • simplifies cooperation with third countries by granting liaison prosecutors seconded to Eurojust access to the case-management system

On 18 September 2023 the Council adopted the new law.

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