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Advancing Europe's digital decade

The EU: pioneering the way to a safe and trusted digital world

The EU’s pioneering global approach

€250 billion
from the NextGenerationEU programme to boost digitalisation
€127 billion
from the Recovery and Resilience Facility dedicated to the digital area
min 80%
of the EU population to have basic digital skills by 2030

Regulating AI and protecting data

In Autumn 2021, the Commission, together with the European Parliament and Council, agreed on the Data Governance Act, which increases trust in data sharing. It was complemented in February 2022 by a proposal for a data act, setting out new rules on who can use and access data generated in the EU across all economic sectors. The Commission is also establishing common European data spaces in strategic domains, involving private and public actors. 

  • 1 billion per year

    to be invested in AI by the European Commission

Building a stronger digital market

Another milestone agreement was reached in April 2022 on the digital services act, a world-first in the field of digital regulation. This act follows the principle that what is illegal offline must also be illegal online: very large online platforms and search engines will have to protect their users from illegal content, goods and services. Moreover, online platforms and search engines will be required to assess and mitigate the broader harms that their activities and algorithms may pose to fundamental rights, children’s well-being and civic discourse.

Both the digital markets act and the digital services act will enter into force this year and be applicable in 2023.

Becoming a leader in the chips market

Investing
in creating a European chip ecosystem
€43 billion
in public investment
put forward by the EU and Member States to advance chips development and manufacturing
€19 billion
already invested in the EU
by the largest US chip manufacturer

The emerging frontiers of the digital transition: finance and space

In the meantime, the EU's space programme already provides prized data and services for a wide array of daily applications, from supporting commercial transportation and personal navigation, to allowing for precision agriculture and providing solutions to climate change. In February 2022, the European Commission proposed two new flagship initiatives to boost satellite-based secure connectivity and space traffic management.

Cooperating with third-countries on digital technology

The European Union is working also with other like-minded partners across the world to shape global rules in the digital sphere. We are upgrading digital relationships with key partners to set the rules for digital trade, linking this to the projection of our internal reforms. A digital partnership has been concluded with Japan at the EU-Japan summit in May 2022, and similar negotiations are ongoing with Singapore and South Korea.

Leading on research and innovation

It has the potential to mobilise around €45 billion from private institutional investors to support scale-ups. In addition, the agenda will establish a programme to train 1 million individuals in deep-tech skills.

The Commission is also strengthening efforts to pioneer green technology projects with the launch of EU–Catalyst, a new partnership aimed at boosting and scaling-up investments in high-impact EU-based projects in critical climate technologies (green hydrogen, sustainable aviation fuels, direct air capture and long-duration energy storage). The partnership was launched at COP26, and has the potential to mobilise up to €840 million by 2026.

  • icon with a robot and an arrow

    164 innovative start-ups and SMEs

    were selected by the European Innovation Council to receive €990 million in funding for breakthrough innovations

Disclaimer: The data on this page was last updated on 31 August 2022

Progress in other areas

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Achievements

of the von der Leyen Commission