Digital society and digital technologies bring with them new ways to learn, entertain, work, explore, and fulfil ambitions. They also bring new freedoms and rights, and give EU citizens the opportunity to reach out beyond physical communities, geographical locations, and social positions. 

However, there are still many challenges associated with the digital transformation that need to be addressed during the digital decade. The EU must increase its strategic autonomy in tech and develop new rules and technologies to protect citizens from counterfeit products, cybertheft, and disinformation. Most importantly, the EU needs to address the digital divide.

The Digital Compass

The Digital Decade policy programme is based on the Digital compass. It sets out digital ambitions for the next decade in the form of clear, concrete targets. The Digital compass uses the 4 points of the compass to identify the main goals:

1. a digitally skilled population and highly skilled digital professionals;
2. secure and sustainable digital infrastructures;
3. digital transformation of businesses;
4. digitalisation of public services.

Key policy areas to ensure these goals are met include cloud computing, artificial intelligence, digital identities, data, and connectivity.

The digital compass can also support the EU in meeting objectives in the European Green Deal, helping Europe to reach its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030.

Read the press release on the communication.

Policy Programme: a Path to the Digital Decade  

The policy programme: a path to the digital decade sets up a monitoring and cooperation mechanism to achieve the common objectives and targets for Europe's digital transformation set out in the 2030 Digital Compass.

The Commission and the member states will work together to develop EU-level trajectories to monitor progress for each target. In turn, the Member States shall propose national strategic roadmaps, outlining their national trajectories and actions to achieve the objectives and targets, including planned regulatory measures and investments.

In view of preparing the proposal for the policy programme: a path to the digital decade, the Commission carried out a targeted consultation. The summary report takes stock of the contributions and presents preliminary trends.

Find out more about the policy programme

Download the factsheet 

Download the staff working document 

Multi-country projects

Multi-country projects are large-scale projects that can contribute to achieving the digital decade targets. They will allow Member States to come together and pool resources to build digital capacities that they would not be able to develop on their own.

The Commission has identified an initial list of areas for multi-country projects and may update the list, if needed, based on the annual progress monitoring.

Multi-country projects should pool investments from EU funding resources, including from the Recovery and Resilience Facility, as well as from the Member States. Other public and private entities may invest in the projects where appropriate.

The Commission will help Member States identify, set-up and implement multi-country projects. To set-up a multi-country project where there is no other legal instrument, the policy programme foresees a new legal structure, the European Digital Infrastructure Consortium (EDIC) which will enable swift and flexible implementation.

Digital Rights and Principles

The Commission proposed a declaration on digital rights and principles in January 2022. The draft Declaration covers key rights and principles for the digital transformation. It is shaped around 6 chapters:

1. putting people and their rights at the centre of the digital transformation;
2. supporting solidarity and inclusion;
3. ensuring the freedom of choice online;
4. fostering participation in the digital public space;
5. increasing safety, security and empowerment of individuals;
6. promoting the sustainability of the digital future.

The European Parliament and the Council will discuss the draft Declaration, and endorse it at the highest level in a solemn signature.