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1. Context – The 2025 State of the Digital Decade package

The European Commission’s annual State of the Digital Decade report is the Union’s health‑check of progress toward the Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030.

Half‑way to the finishing line, Member States have tabled €288.6 bn in measures, yet the Commission calls for “renewed action” to:
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• close connectivity gaps (fibre backbones, stand‑alone 5G, submarine & space links);
• reduce strategic tech dependencies (AI/cloud, chips, quantum);
• up‑skill Europeans (only 55.6 % have at least basic digital skills);
• green the growing digital footprint; and
• protect citizens (online safety, trustworthy information).

A full, timely response could lift EU GDP by up to 1.8 %.

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27 country reports (2025): Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.

Snapshot – 2025 challenges & key drivers

#	Challenge / driver	Why it matters
1	Connectivity gaps	Slows edge‑node rollout & exposes EU to external risks
2	Tech dependencies	Over‑reliance on non‑EU providers
3	Skills deficit	Shortage of ICT experts, persistent gender gap
4	Vendor‑dependent e‑government	Core public systems often hosted outside the EU
5	Energy constraint	AI & data demand outpace clean‑power build‑out
6	Weak civil–defence synergies	Dual‑use progress in AI, quantum, chips delayed
7	Societal stressors	Minors’ safety, mental‑health, disinformation

2. Europe’s guiding Digital Rights & Principles

Adopted in December 2023, the EU Declaration on Digital Rights & Principles distils the Union’s values for the online world into six people‑centred principles:
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1. People at the centre – technology must respect human dignity & autonomy.
2. Solidarity & inclusion – everyone should benefit from digital opportunities.
3. Freedom of choice – open markets, device & service interoperability, portability.
4. Participation – meaningful involvement in the digital public space.
5. Safety, security & empowerment – protection from cyber‑ and algorithmic risks.
6. Sustainability – a climate‑neutral, resource‑efficient digital future.

These principles complement the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and steer all digital legislation, investment and diplomacy.

3. The Digital Compass 2030 – four cardinal objectives

Outlined in the 2021 Digital Compass Communication and enshrined in Decision (EU) 2022/2481 (Path to the Digital Decade), the EU’s 2030 targets cluster around four “cardinal points”:

Objective	2030 headline targets
Skills	• 80 % of adults with basic digital skills • 20 million employed ICT specialists with improved gender balance
Secure & Sustainable Digital Infrastructures	• Gigabit connectivity & stand‑alone 5G for all populated areas • 20 % of world chip value produced in the EU • 10 000 climate‑neutral, high‑security edge nodes • First quantum computer in the EU
Digital Transformation of Business	• 75 % of EU firms using cloud/AI/big‑data • ≥ 90 % of SMEs at least basic digital intensity • Number of EU “unicorns” doubled
Digitalisation of Public Services	• 100 % online availability of key public services • 100 % citizens access to e‑medical records • 80 % citizens using a secure eID

4. 2025–2026 priority actions

• Adopt the Digital Networks Act and unblock investment in next‑gen networks (fibre, stand‑alone 5G, satellite);
  
• Launch a Chips Skills Academy and expand the Pact for Skills to quantum & cybersecurity;
  
• Finalise the AI Act and fully enforce the Digital Services Package to keep online spaces safe & open;
  
• Complete the European Cloud & Edge framework (sovereign cloud, common data spaces);
  
• Scale Greener‑than‑Moore R&D and introduce mandatory energy‑efficiency standards for data centres;
  
• Strengthen dual‑use tech synergies under the European Defence Industrial Strategy.
  

5. Further reading

• Communication “Shaping Europe’s Digital Future” (Feb 2020) – the first EU digital strategy of the von der Leyen Commission.
  
• Decision (EU) 2022/2481 – establishes the Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030.
  
• 2025 State of the Digital Decade package – core report, staff working docs & country profiles.
  
• European Declaration on Digital Rights & Principles – a joint solemn declaration by Parliament, Council & Commission.
  
• Digital Compass Communication (COM/2021/118) – sets the four cardinal objectives.
  

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