Digitalization: One of Europe’s main priorities

Digital investment continues to be at the center of Europe’s efforts to prepare the EU for a resilient and better future. The new budget amounts to €189.3 billion. for 2024, with a significant amount allocated to technology and digitalization. This funding is aimed at modernizing and empowering Member States for the digital transition, strengthening Europe’s role around the world. The focus is on empowering businesses in a sustainable and resilient digital environment.

Substantial investments are directed towards digital infrastructure, skills, and innovation through programs. One of the most important EU’s funding programs is «Digital Europe Programme», which focuses on introducing digital technology to businesses, public administrations and citizens.

Digital Europe Programme

Digital technology now plays a crucial role in the business environment and in the private lives of Member States. Europe’s main concern is not to depend on systems and solutions from other countries but to support projects in essential areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, advanced digital skills, promoting the use of digital technologies and high-performance computing. In this way, it will be able to support SMEs and public administrations in their digital transformation. In order to achieve a secure digital transformation, it is considered necessary to promote human rights and create a secure digital environment where citizens can be empowered and protected.

The budget allocated for this program amounts to €1.3 billion to shape Europe’s digital future and €348 million for the InvestEu program aimed at research, innovation and digital transition. The Digital Europe program does not tend to address individual challenges but at the same time supports other digitalization-related programs such as «Horizon Europe». More specifically, Horizon Europe is a funding program designed to tackle climate change, support sustainable development objectives and boost research and innovation.

The main targets of the program are:

• Increasing capacity and excellence in technology
• Increasing interest of European Union citizens in seeking careers in the digital sector
• Cooperation between research centers, businesses and higher education institutions

Digital transformation can affect all areas of modern life. The change for Europe has already begun, and rapidly, as it can be an important part of the economic and green recovery and the strategic autonomy of the European Union. The European Digital Strategy aims to make Europe fit for the digital age by boosting digital skills, infrastructure and innovation, making Europe independent of other countries’ systems and solutions.