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September 2021 - ​2030 Policy Programme: Path to the Digital Decade
On September 2021, the EU Commission adopted a Proposal for a Decision COM(2021) 574 final on 2030 Policy Programme: Path to the Digital Decade, which describes the EU strategy for the next decade and the governance.

The proposed Decision translates the intentions announced in the Communication of March 2021 into programmes with lots of details and gives a legislative value to cooperation with Member States.

The proposed decision reiterates the general objectives of cooperation between the EU and the Member States, sets the digital objectives and establishes the governance rules of the process.

Regarding digital goals:
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A. A digitally skilled population and highly skilled digital professionals:
  1. at least 80% of those aged 16-74 have at least basic digital skills;
  2. at least 20 million employed information and communications technology (ICT) specialists are employed, with convergence between women and men;

B. Secure, performant and sustainable digital infrastructures:
  1. all European households are covered by a Gigabit network, with all populated areas covered by 5G;
  2. the production of cutting-edge and sustainable semiconductors in the Union is at least 20% of world production in value;
  3. at least 10 000 climate neutral highly secure “edge nodes” are deployed in the Union, distributed in a way that guarantees access to data services with low latency (few milliseconds) wherever businesses are located;
  4. by 2025, the Union has its first computer with quantum acceleration, paving the way for the Union to be at the cutting edge of quantum capabilities by 2030.

C. Digital transformation of businesses:
  1. at least 75% of Union enterprises have taken up:  cloud computing services; big data; artificial intelligence;
  2. more than 90% of Union Small and Medium Enterprises (‘SME’) reach at least a basic level of digital intensity;
  3. the Union grows the pipeline of its innovative scale ups and improves their access to finance, leading to at least doubling the number of unicorns;
D. Digitalisation of public services:
  1. 100% online accessible provision of key public services for Union citizens and businesses;
  2. 100% of Union citizens have access to their medical records (electronic health records (EHR));
  3. at least 80% of Union citizens use a digital identification (ID) solution.
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​What next


​The proposal for a Decision COM(2021) 574 is under discussion in the European Parliament and the Council. Meanwhile, the EU continues to carry out existing programs and finance them, following the guidelines of existing policies. 

Go to the Page of the committee fo Industry, Research and Energy of the European Parliament and follow the legislative work on this subject.
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Technology that works for the people


The EU's digital strategy will:
  • invest in digital skills for all Europeans
  • protect people from cyber threats (hacking, ransomware, identity theft)
  • ensure Artificial Intelligence is developed in ways that respect people’s rights and earn their trust
  • accelerate the roll-out of ultra-fast broadband for homes, schools and hospitals throughout the EU
  • expand Europe’s super-computing capacity to develop innovative solutions for medicine, transport and the environment

A fair and competitive digital economy

​The EU's digital strategy will:
  • enable a vibrant community of innovative and fast growing start-ups and small businesses to access finance and to expand
  • strengthen the responsibility of online platforms by proposing a Digital Services Act
    and clarifying rules for online services
  • make sure that EU rules are fit for the digital economy
  • ensure fair competition of all companies  in Europe
  • increase access to high-quality data while ensuring that personal and sensitive data is safeguarded

An open, democratic and sustainable society

The EU’s digital strategy will:
  • use technology to help Europe become climate-neutral by 2050
  • reduce the digital sector’s carbon emissions
  • give citizens more control and protection of their data
  • create a "European health data space" to foster targeted research, diagnosis and treatment
  • fight disinformation online and foster diverse and reliable media content