Progress on the Digital Decade

The aim of the Digital Decade - open a new tab. is to ensure all aspects of technology and innovation work for people. From advancing digital skills and modernising infrastructure to integrating AI into business practices and enhancing public services with digital tools, the EU is committed to a holistic transformation. In September 2023, the inaugural report - open a new tab. on the Digital Decade reviewed the EU’s digital progress. It provided recommendations to EU Member States to help achieve the Digital Decade’s ambitions. The report also included the annual Digital Economy and Society Index - open a new tab. and analysed the implementation of digital multi-country projects - open a new tab. – large-scale projects that no single Member State could develop on its own.

Furthermore, the document examined how Member States implemented the Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles - open a new tab., reflecting the EU’s commitment to a secure, safe and sustainable digital transformation, with people at its core. It also showed the potential and the success of their collective efforts. A standout point was the pressing need to boost investment in digital technologies, skills and infrastructure.

Digital Europe Programme

The European Commission has formalised its commitment to digital leadership with the adoption of the Digital Europe Work Programme for 2023–2024. The work programme comes with strategic investment that will be instrumental in achieving the Digital Decade ambitions - open a new tab.. More than just a monetary commitment, this programme is about the EU’s technological sovereignty, which goes hand in hand with the European Green Deal. With it, the EU is charting a course to a digital future, in which individuals, businesses and government bodies all stand to benefit.

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• March

  Adoption of two multiannual work programmes - open a new tab. for the Digital Europe Programme - open a new tab..

  Calls opened to businesses, public administrations and other entities from the EU Member States, EFTA/EEA countries and associated countries.

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• May

  The Commission launches:

  • the first set of calls for proposals - open a new tab., worth over €122 million, to strengthen digital technologies and competences across the EU;
  • two sets of calls - open a new tab., together worth €107 million, to strengthen cybersecurity in the EU.

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• 30 June

  The Commission signs association agreements on the Digital Europe Programme with Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania and Serbia on the margins of the Regulatory Dialogue with the Western Balkans - open a new tab..

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• 31 August

  Association agreement sealed with Türkiye.

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• 28 September

  Launch of calls supporting advanced digital skills and data spaces.

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• 21 November

  Launch of calls supporting advanced digital skills.

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• 14 December

  Adoption of amended 2024 work programmes.

Digital for industry

Connectivity

Navigating the digital transformation demands both rapid adaptation and increased connectivity. In February 2023, the Commission rolled out a plan to bring gigabit connectivity - open a new tab. to every corner of the EU. The proposed gigabit infrastructure act - open a new tab. aims to cut the time required for and the cost of rolling out very-high-capacity networks. To help national authorities navigate this, the draft gigabit recommendation - open a new tab. outlines the conditions under which operators can access competitors’ networks. On top of this, the Commission launched a consultation - open a new tab. at the same time to gather views on the future of the electronic communications sector and its infrastructure.

Artificial intelligence and supercomputers

From interactions with chatbots to tailored online recommendations, people in the EU are making AI an integral part of their daily lives. Given its widespread use, it is crucial that a framework be put in place to prevent misuse and protect people’s privacy.

The EU aims to be a leader in AI that people can trust. It wants to improve research and industrial capacity, while making sure that the technology remains safe and that people’s rights are protected.

In December, negotiations between the European Parliament and the Member States in the Council of the European Union on the groundbreaking AI Act - open a new tab. resulted in a political agreement. The world’s first comprehensive legal framework for AI will promote its growth in the EU for the benefit of all and manage the risks that come with the technology. It provides AI developers, deployers and users with clear requirements and obligations for its safe use in the EU; ensures that AI respects the fundamental rights of individuals in the EU; and prohibits practices such as social credit scoring. The act also aims to encourage innovation by setting up regulatory sandboxes – special frameworks where businesses, particularly start-ups, can test new products and services in a real-world environment without the usual regulatory challenges.

In an effort to establish international standards for trustworthy AI, the Commission is working with like-minded partners, such as the G7, including through the Hiroshima AI process - open a new tab.. The Commission contributed to and welcomed the G7 leaders’ agreement on International Guiding Principles - open a new tab. for AI and on a voluntary Code of Conduct - open a new tab. for AI developers.

In 2023, the EU took further steps in building up a world-class supercomputer network in its Member States. The European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking - open a new tab. – a legal and funding entity that brings together EU companies to develop supercomputers – selected a vendor to acquire, supply, install and maintain Jupiter - open a new tab., the first European exascale supercomputer (a computer capable of performing more than a quintillion calculations per second). In addition, in June, the joint undertaking signed hosting agreements with six sites across the EU (in Czechia, Germany, Spain, France, Italy and Poland) to host and operate quantum computers - open a new tab..

The EU has used its world-class network of supercomputers - open a new tab. to bring generative AI ‘made in Europe’ to the international stage. This move will help start-ups across the EU to train their AI models faster.

Semiconductors

Semiconductors – commonly referred to as chips – are the hearts and brains of today’s electronics. The European Chips Act, which came into effect - open a new tab. on 21 September, is a bold step towards strengthening the European semiconductor sector. It will also steer the EU towards technological sovereignty in semiconductor technologies and applications. Its ambitious target is for the EU to double its global market share in semiconductors to 20 % by 2030.

Digitalisation of company law

Modern business also calls for a sharper legal framework. With the further development of online tools for company set-up and cross-border activities, doing business in the EU is becoming easier. The latest Commission proposal - open a new tab. in this regard aims to expand the use of digital tools and processes in EU company law. Its once-only principle is set to reduce administrative burdens, as companies expanding within the EU will not have to resubmit information. Moreover, the Business Registers Interconnection System - open a new tab. ensures company data remain both trustworthy and easily accessible across the EU.

Combating online piracy

Sharing copyrighted content without permission harms creative businesses and stands in the way of innovation and economic growth. Knowing the importance of stopping online piracy, especially during live events such as sports and concerts, the Commission recommended measures - open a new tab. in May 2023. It encourages Member States to take steps to deal with illegal broadcasts, thereby supporting the EU’s sports and creative industries.

Digitalisation of transport and mobility

Just as digital business rules foster economic growth, digital transport ensures that growth is sustainable, efficient and far-reaching. The EU has therefore adopted new rules to boost intelligent transport systems - open a new tab.. This update to the current directive on the subject optimises multimodal travel planning, streamlines traffic management and encourages eco-friendly travel. A proposal for a unified European Mobility Data Space - open a new tab. was also adopted in November, to simplify data sharing and pooling.

The EU has also been working on making roads safer. A big step towards this in 2023 was the proposal to modernise driving licence rules - open a new tab.. The proposal includes introducing a digital driving licence that would be valid across the EU. It will also make enforcing traffic rules across borders easier. These changes are key to improving road safety and achieving the EU’s ‘Vision Zero’ goal – no road deaths by 2050.

The rapid expansion of the commercial drone market in the EU has sparked a wave of new regulations on the safety and efficacy of drones. New EU rules - open a new tab. began to apply in 2023, establishing a dedicated airspace for drones, known as U-space, to make drone traffic safe and allow operators to offer a wider range of services. From package delivery to emergency assistance, and from search and rescue missions to infrastructure monitoring, the vision of the European Drone Strategy 2.0 will steadily come to fruition.

Digitalisation for citizens

Cybersecurity and resilience

The new rules to secure a common high level of cybersecurity across all Member States, known as the NIS2 Directive - open a new tab., came into force in January 2023. Compared to the earlier 2016 cybersecurity measures, the new rules cover more sectors, such as telecoms providers, postal services, public administration and healthcare. Companies operating in these sectors now have stricter risk management and incident-reporting duties.

On 30 November, the Parliament and the Council agreed on the Cyber Resilience Act - open a new tab., intended to enhance rules for more secure hardware and software products. This is the first law of its kind in the world. It will raise the level of cybersecurity for all digital products in the EU, helping consumers and businesses. The law will apply to everything from baby monitors to routers, with security rules varying based on the product’s risk level.

In April, the Commission also proposed the EU Cyber Solidarity Act - open a new tab., to help countries work together against online threats.

Data protection

In today’s interconnected world, data flow globally at the touch of a button. Protecting data upholds people’s trust. That means all who handle personal data should play by the same rules. This is underscored by the Commission’s July proposal for a new regulation on the procedural rules of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - open a new tab.. The proposed regulation aims to strengthen GDPR enforcement in cases that affect people located in more than one Member State. Its intention is clear: the faster resolution of cases, meaning faster remedies for people and more legal certainty for businesses.

Thanks to rising global standards for data protection, international cooperation has flourished. Notable outcomes include the release of the EU–Association of South-East Asian Nations guide on data transfer clauses - open a new tab. in May, the EU–US Data Privacy Framework - open a new tab. agreed upon by the Commission in July and the successful review of the data agreement with Japan - open a new tab..

The Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act

To better protect fundamental rights and curb unfair practices in the digital space, the EU started applying two new acts in 2023: the Digital Services Act - open a new tab. (DSA) and the Digital Markets Act - open a new tab..

The DSA makes sure online platforms and search engines are held accountable for harmful content. It aims to protect children online, provide clarity on how algorithms work and ban targeted advertising that profiles people based on categories such as ethnicity, political views and sexual orientation.

By 17 February, these platforms had to disclose their user numbers in the EU - open a new tab.. The biggest ones – referred to as very large online platforms and search engines - open a new tab. – were given until the end of August to comply with the obligations in the act. Since then, the EU has been collecting information from major platforms to check whether they are complying with parts of the DSA, particularly in protecting children and removing harmful content. To support the application of the DSA, the European Centre for Algorithmic Transparency - open a new tab. was established to oversee these companies’ algorithms.

Member States too have been encouraged - open a new tab. to act quickly against online terrorist content and hate speech, so as to speed up the enforcement of the DSA. The Commission has also signed administrative agreements - open a new tab. with several national media regulators, which are now leading the way in implementing the DSA. Their role in overseeing media operations and upholding broadcasting standards goes beyond mere supervision. They ensure that digital platforms are not just passive hosts, but instead active participants in the moderation and management of online content that is illegal or presents a systematic societal risk.

The related Digital Markets Act has set out clear obligations - open a new tab. to ensure that the dominant companies in the digital sector, known as gatekeepers, maintain a level playing field in the digital marketplace. Six gatekeepers - open a new tab. were designated at the beginning of September, and they have until March 2024 to fully comply.

The signatories to the 2022 Code of Practice on Disinformation - open a new tab., including all major online platforms, have also launched the new Transparency Centre - open a new tab. and published the first baseline reports - open a new tab. on how they are putting the code’s commitments into practice.

Virtual worlds

According to an EU study - open a new tab., 98 % of professionals see extended reality - open a new tab. as being a major force in their industry in the next 5 years. Knowing this, the EU is keen to understand both the benefits and the risks of such technologies, while always keeping in mind the rights of the individual. To get genuine feedback, the Commission hosted a European Citizens’ Panel - open a new tab. from February to April 2023, gathering input on virtual worlds in the EU (see Chapter 9).

This collective feedback fed into the new Strategy for Web 4.0 and Virtual Worlds - open a new tab., adopted in July, which aims to create an EU digital landscape that is transparent, safe and welcoming for all – be they people, businesses or public authorities.

Cross-border cooperation

When EU residents move within the EU, their social security rights, including healthcare and pensions, move with them. On 6 September, the Commission proposed a digital plan - open a new tab. to make accessing these benefits across borders quicker and easier. Better data exchanges between Member States and streamlined benefit-claim procedures will make it easier not only for people to live, work and travel abroad, but also for companies to do business in other Member States, and for national administrations to coordinate social security across borders.

Thanks to the EU Digital Identity Wallet - open a new tab., every EU resident could soon have access to a secure mobile app that allows them to prove their identity, both online and offline, and store personal documents such as their driving licence, ID and academic certificates.

In November, the Parliament and the Council reached a political agreement - open a new tab. on the core elements for the legal framework of the EU Digital Identity. As part of this framework, the wallet will give users full control over their data via a publicly guaranteed system, rather than one offered by a large private platform.

The EU has also updated its rules - open a new tab. on cross-border cooperation in legal matters. Previous rules covered judicial cooperation, but not communication via digital means. Now, competent authorities in Member States must connect to a decentralised IT system to exchange data securely. The system will be interoperable with e-CODEX - open a new tab., which is a communication tool developed specifically for the judicial sector, managed by the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice - open a new tab..

In addition, a European electronic access point is now available for people and businesses to interact digitally with national judicial authorities. Court hearings can now use video calls, and new protocols are in place for the use of electronic signatures and seals, the legal effect of electronic documents and the electronic payment of court fees in civil proceedings.

The future of healthcare is also digital, and the European Health Data Space - open a new tab., proposed in 2022, could soon play a key role in this transformation. In December, the Parliament and the Council adopted their positions - open a new tab. in support of creating this space, which is designed to provide EU residents with easier access to and control over their health data, even when in another Member State. It will enable healthcare professionals to deliver effective care based on a complete medical history. Furthermore, it is envisaged that it will be a key component in enabling the secure use of health data for important research and the development of health policies.

Digital skills

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2. European Digital Skills Certificate - open a new tab.

3. European Digital Skills Awards - open a new tab.

4. Cyber Skills Academy - open a new tab.

In recent years, cyber threats in the EU have increased dramatically. The academy will strengthen the EU’s cybersecurity capabilities and increase the number of skilled cybersecurity professionals.

Space

Space technology plays an essential role in the daily lives of people in the EU, for example when they use mobile phones or car navigation systems, watch satellite television or withdraw money from a cash machine. Satellites also provide important data during disasters, improving emergency response coordination.

In 2023, new services were deployed to enhance the resilience and competitiveness of the EU’s Copernicus and Galileo satellite constellations. For example, the upgraded Galileo satellite system - open a new tab. now provides even more accurate location tracking, down to 20 cm.

In March, the EU adopted IRIS² - open a new tab. (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite), its third major satellite constellation. With a €2.4 billion contribution from the EU budget, the programme is designed to ensure secure government communications, support military and defence operations and expand commercial broadband services, especially in remote areas.

For Europe to remain at the forefront of space technology, investment in research and innovation - open a new tab. is equally important, especially through EU funding programmes such as Horizon Europe. The In-Orbit Demonstration and Validation programme - open a new tab. is proof of this commitment. As the name suggests, it allows space companies to trial new space technologies directly in orbit. This, for example, provides European research centres with invaluable insights and helps bring forward satellite launches for companies.

Recognising the need to attract more investment, at the beginning of 2023 the Commission also launched Helios - open a new tab., the first-ever space stock index. This tool gives a clear picture of how European space companies are doing financially. It helps them attract more attention and makes it easier for people to invest in them.

As Europe’s space infrastructure expands, protective measures become increasingly important. The European Union Agency for the Space Programme, in cooperation with 15 Member States, champions this cause through the EU Space Surveillance and Tracking Partnership - open a new tab.. This partnership, equipped with a complex system of space surveillance and tracking sensors, serves over 190 registered organisations, protecting more than 400 satellites from the risk of collision with space debris and other operational satellites.

Space technology is crucial for environmental protection, and the EU’s Destination Earth - open a new tab. project is a prime example of this intersection. It aims to create a comprehensive digital model of the Earth for better weather and disaster prediction. Confirmed in December, the project’s second phase - open a new tab. will enhance the existing digital models, improve data handling and incorporate advanced AI technology.

In 2023, the European Space Policy - open a new tab. placed significant emphasis on security in space. In that respect, the Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, presented a joint communication on a European Space Strategy for Security and Defence - open a new tab.. This introduces measures for a common understanding of space threats and sets the stage for a legislative proposal for an EU space law in 2024 (see Chapter 8).

By the end of 2023, more than 15 600 close approaches
had been detected across three different orbits.