European Commission - Questions and answers

Policy Programme: Path to the Digital Decade - Questions and Answers*

Brussels, 9 January 2023
What is the Digital Decade Policy Programme?
This policy programme is a strategic tool for coordinating and delivering a successful digitalization of
the EU. It sets out concrete objectives and targets and the means to achieve the digital
transformation in Europe by 2030. The initiative embraces the accelerating trends and growing needs
of digitalisation, which were also underlined by the pandemic. It will ensure that Members States
and the Commission jointly address the gaps in Europe's digital capacities and direct common
actions and large-scale investments to reap the benefits of digital transformation.
It is based on Europe's Digital Compass with four cardinal points: digital skills, digital infrastructure,
digital business, and digital public services. Specific targets have been set for each of the areas to
usher in the Digital Decade in Europe by 2030.
The Commission and the Member States will define Union-level and national trajectories towards the
targets. The trajectories will help the Commission monitor progress annually and address deviations
and inefficiencies together with the Member States.
A successful digital transformation will strengthen Europe's competitiveness and ability to shape
universal standards, placing Europe at the forefront of global trends. More so, digital technologies are
a key enabler for attaining the sustainability goals of the European Green Deal.
How will the Commission work with the European Parliament, the Council and the Member
States to ensure progress towards the Digital Decade targets?
The Commission and the Member States will work closely together to reach the Digital Decade
targets and objectives. The first step will be to define KPIs to measure progress, as well as develop
EU level trajectories to assess progress towards the targets on a yearly basis. Each year, the
Commission will publish a report on the ‘State of the Digital Decade' that will be presented to the
European Parliament and the Council.
The Member States will submit strategic roadmaps outlining their national trajectories and the
actions they will take to achieve them, including planned regulatory measures and investments. The
strategic roadmaps will be updated every two years, if needed. This will allow work to be carried out
collectively towards the common targets and objectives, while recognizing different starting points
among Member States.
Additionally, the policy programme provides a set of tools to ensure that actions taken by Member
States are sufficient to allow progress towards the Digital Decade targets. These tools include a peer
review, possible further actions at EU level, as well as a structured dialogue with a Member State
that might continuously or significantly deviate from its national trajectories.
What will the report on the ‘State of the Digital Decade' include?
The report will serve as a yearly assessment of the digital transformation in Europe. In the report,
the Commission will evaluate the progress towards the digital targets and objectives. The report will
compare measured progress to the projected trajectories for each target, and provide
recommendations for further actions to accelerate the attainment of the targets, including joint
commitments and multi-country projects.
In particular, the report will:
Identify the areas where further action is needed;
Assess how the implementation of relevant regulatory proposals and programmes and the
actions undertaken at EU and Member State level contribute to the attainment of the targets
and objectives;
Include strategic principles and priorities in the implementation of multi-country projects and
report on the progress of the multi-country projects selected for implementation.
The report will also be an opportunity to inform about the level of adherence to the Digital Principles
to be set out in the upcoming Declaration.
How is the report on the ‘State of the Digital Decade' related to the European Semester?
The report on the ‘State of the Digital Decade' will feed into the European Semester. The report will
include an enhanced Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), containing the data monitoring the
progress towards the digital targets and an overview and analysis of the digital transformation in the
EU. This information will feed into the European Semester, both in the Country Reports and the
country specific recommendations. Given that the Digital Decade and the European Semester use the
same underlying data but operate on different levels of detail, coherence and complementarity are
ensured without creating additional burden for Member States.
What are multi-country projects?
Multi-country projects are large-scale projects facilitating the achievement of the targets for the
digital transformation of the Union. They channel coordinated investments between the EU, Member
States and, where appropriate, other public or private stakeholders.
Through scaled-up and targeted investments in the digital sector, multi-country projects develop and
deploy pan-European leading-edge capacities in strategic technological areas, thus leading to a more
competitive and resilient European economy.
Do you have examples of multi-country projects?
The Commission has identified an initial list of areas where cooperation among Member States is
necessary to reach the Digital Decade targets:
European Common Data Infrastructure and Services;
Endow the EU with the next generation of low power trusted processors;
Pan-European deployment of 5G corridors;
Acquiring supercomputers and quantum computers, connected with the EuroHPC Joint
Undertaking;
Developing and deploying ultra-secure quantum and space-based communication
infrastructures;
Deploying a network of Security Operations Centers, as part of the EU Cybersecurity Strategy;
Connected Public Administration;
European Blockchain Services Infrastructure;
European Digital Innovation Hubs;
High-tech partnerships for digital skills through the Pact for Skills;
Skills and training in cybersecurity
Other projects, which become necessary to the achievement of the objectives of the Path to
the Digital Decade over time due to emerging social, economic or environmental
developments.
The annual report on the ‘State of Digital Decade' will provide the necessary information on
developments and identified gaps in Europe's digital transformation, report on the progress of the
multi-country projects selected for implementation and update the list if needed.
What are the benefits of multi-country projects?
Multi-country projects can:
Enable big projects that one single Member State could not develop on its own;
Pool resources to achieve economies of scale and increase impact;
Help reduce the digital divide between Member States;
Support an interconnected, interoperable and secure Digital Single Market;
Build ecosystems of excellence important enough to attract and retain talent;
Implement flagship initiatives for which cooperation among Member States is important.
Which financial resources will be used to fund multi-country projects?
Multi-country projects should be able to attract and combine, in an efficient manner, various sources
of Union and Member States' funding.
Depending on the needs of the specific multi-country projects, resources committed by Member
States may be combined with funds from a directly managed Union programme, including
contributions from the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the Digital Europe Programme, the
Connecting Europe Facility, the InvestEU Programme, the Horizon Europe Programme, as well as with
the European Regional Development and the Cohesion funds.
Member States can contribute to multi-country projects from their regional or national budgets. The
European Investment Bank (EIB) and other entities, whether public or private, may contribute to
multi-country projects where appropriate. When financial resources are State aid measures, State aid
rules apply.
How will multi-country projects be coordinated?
The Commission, acting as multi-country project ‘accelerator', will coordinate the setup of multi-
country projects.
As a first step, the Commission will be responsible for assessing the viability of proposed multi-
country projects and publishing related calls for expression of interest addressed to all Member
States.
Based on this, the Commission will explore and advise on the possibilities for implementation of the
multi-country project with the participating Member States. This includes guidance regarding
strategic aspects of the multi-country projects' implementation, the choice of funding sources and of
the implementation mechanism.
The Commission will also support the implementation of multi-country projects by providing, as
needed, technical assistance services and expertise, and facilitating the exchange of best practices.
Do State aid rules apply?
Yes. The procedures to set up and implement multi-country projects are without prejudice to the
normal State aid procedures, which need to be followed as for any other measure if it entails State
aid. State aid control prevents crowding out of private investment, boosts leverage of these
investments, prevents waste of public resources and limits distortions of competition. State aid rules
also ensure that subsidy races are avoided within the internal market.
What is a European Digital Infrastructure Consortium (EDIC)?
The Digital Decade policy programme 2030 establishes a new legal framework for multi-country
projects, the European Digital Infrastructure Consortium. It is a new instrument to help Member
States speed up and simplify the setup and implementation of multi-country projects.
A minimum of three Member States who want to use a European Digital Infrastructure Consortium to
set up a multi-country project will submit an application to the Commission.
Following the examination of Member States' application, the Commission will, if it concludes that all
requirements provided for in the decision are satisfied, adopt a decision establishing the European
Digital Infrastructure Consortium. Each consortium will have its own legal personality, governing
body, statutes, and seat in a participating Member State.
Why invest public resources where private sector investment would work as well?
Multi-country projects using public support will be designed to target and address areas with sub-
optimal investment situations, without duplicating or crowding out private financing and thus
providing a clear European added value.
For More Information
About the Digital Decade Policy programme (updated)
Factsheet – Path to the Digital Decade (updated)
Factsheet – Digital Rights and Principles
Digital Decade Community on Futurium
*Updated on 09/01/2023
QANDA/21/4631
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Charles MANOURY (+32 2 291 33 91)
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