COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Shaping Europe's digital future
Date: 2020-02-19
Institutions: Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology, European Commission
Subjects: EU strategy, digital economy, digital single market, digital technology, digitisation, impact of information technology, information security, information technology, innovation

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 19.2.2020  COM(2020) 67 final  COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Shaping Europe's digital future  
 
 
Shaping Europe’s digital future 

1.  Introduction 

Digital  technologies  are  profoundly  changing  our  daily  life,  our  way  of  working  and  doing 
business,  and  the  way  people  travel,  communicate  and  relate  with  each  other.  Digital 
communication,  social  media  interaction,  e-commerce,  and  digital  enterprises  are  steadily 
transforming  our  world.  They  are  generating  an  ever-increasing  amount  of  data,  which,  if 
pooled  and  used,  can  lead  to  a  completely  new  means  and  levels  of  value  creation.  It  is  a 
transformation as fundamental as that caused by the industrial revolution.  

In her political guidelines, Commission President von der Leyen stressed the need for Europe 
to  lead  the  transition  to  a  healthy  planet  and  a  new  digital  world.  This  twin  challenge  of  a 
green and digital transformation has to go hand-in-hand. It requires, as set out in the European 
Green Deal, an immediate change of direction towards more sustainable solutions which are 
resource-efficient, circular and climate-neutral. It requires that every citizen, every employee, 
every  business  person  has  a  fair  chance,  wherever  they  live,  to  reap  the  benefits  of  our 
increasingly digitised society.  

Digital  solutions  such  as  communications  systems,  artificial  intelligence  or  quantum 
technologies  can  enrich  our  lives  in  many  ways.  But  the  benefits  arising  from  digital 
technologies do not come without risks and costs. Citizens no longer feel in control over what 
happens with their personal data and are increasingly overloaded by artificial solicitations of 
their attention. And malicious cyberactivity may  threaten  our personal  well-being or disrupt 
our critical infrastructures and wider security interests.  

This substantive societal transformation calls for a profound reflection at all levels of society 
as  to  how  Europe  can  best  meet,  and  continue  to  meet,  these  risks  and  challenges.  It  will 
require a huge effort, but Europe undoubtedly has the means to bring about this better digital 
future for everyone.  

2.  Our vision and goals 

The  Commission  wants  a  European  society  powered  by  digital  solutions  that  are  strongly 
rooted  in  our  common  values,  and  that  enrich  the  lives  of  all  of  us:  people  must  have  the 
opportunity to develop personally, to choose freely and safely, to engage in society, regardless 
of  their  age,  gender  or  professional  background.  Businesses  need  a  framework  that  allows 
them  to  start  up,  scale  up,  pool  and  use  data,  to  innovate  and  compete  or  cooperate  on  fair 

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terms.  And  Europe  needs  to  have  a  choice  and  pursue  the  digital  transformation  in  its  own 
way.  

European  technological  sovereignty  starts  from  ensuring  the  integrity  and  resilience  of  our 
data infrastructure, networks and communications. It requires creating the right conditions for 
Europe  to  develop  and  deploy  its  own  key  capacities,  thereby  reducing  our  dependency  on 
other parts of the globe for the most crucial technologies. Europe’s ability to define its own 
rules  and  values  in  the  digital  age  will  be  reinforced  by  such  capacities.  European 
technological sovereignty is not defined against anyone else, but by focusing on the needs of 
Europeans and of the European social model. The EU will remain open to anyone willing to 
play by European rules and meet European standards, regardless of where they are based. 

Citizens should be empowered to make better decisions based on insights gleaned from non-
personal  data.  And  that  data  should  be  available  to  all  –  whether  public  or  private,  big  or 
small,  start-up  or  giant.  This  will  help  society  to  get  the  most  out  of  innovation  and 
competition  and  ensure  that  everyone  benefits  from  a  digital  dividend.  This  digital  Europe 
should reflect the best of Europe - open, fair, diverse, democratic, and confident 

For  the  next  five  years,  the  Commission  will  focus  on  three  key  objectives  to  ensure  that 
digital  solutions  help  Europe  to  pursue  its  own  way  towards  a  digital  transformation  that 
works  for  the  benefit  of  people  through  respecting  our  values.  It  will  also  put  Europe  in  a 
position to be a trendsetter in the global debate. 

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Technology  that  works  for  people:  Development,  deployment  and  uptake  of 
technology  that  makes  a  real  difference  to  people’s  daily  lives.  A  strong  and 
competitive  economy  that  masters  and  shapes  technology  in  a  way  that  respects 
European values. 

A fair and competitive economy: A frictionless single market, where companies of 
all sizes and in any sector can compete on equal terms, and can develop, market and 
use digital technologies, products and services at a scale that boosts their productivity 
and  global  competitiveness,  and  consumers  can  be  confident  that  their  rights  are 
respected. 

An open, democratic and sustainable society: A trustworthy environment in which 
citizens are empowered in how they act and interact, and of the data they provide both 
online  and  offline.  A  European  way  to  digital  transformation  which  enhances  our 
democratic  values,  respects  our  fundamental  rights,  and  contributes  to  a  sustainable, 
climate-neutral and resource-efficient economy. 

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For Europe to truly influence the way in which digital solutions are developed and used on a 
global scale, it needs to be a strong, independent and purposeful digital player in its own right. 
In  order  to  achieve  this,  a  clear  framework  that  promotes  trustworthy,  digitally  enabled 
interactions across society, for people as well as for businesses, is needed. Without this focus 
on trustworthiness, the vital process of digital transformation cannot succeed.  

Creating a Europe fit for the digital age is a complex puzzle with many interconnected pieces; 
as with any puzzle, the whole picture cannot be seen without putting all the pieces together. 
The following sections will describe how the Commission intends to complete this puzzle and 
turn its vision into reality.  

A.  Technology that works for people 

Europe  has  a  long  and  successful  history  of  technology  and  creativity.  Europe  is  strongest 
when  it  acts  together  and  joins  forces  between  the  EU  and  its  Member  States;  involving 
regions  and  municipalities,  academia,  civil  society,  financial  institutions,  businesses  and 
social enterprises. Europe needs to pool its investments in research and innovation, to share 
experiences, and to cooperate across countries. Recent agreements to work together in areas 
such  as  supercomputing  and  micro-electronics  have  shown  that  collaboration  can  be  highly 

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effective.  Similar  initiatives  on  key  areas  of  the  next  wave  of  innovative  technologies  will 
follow.  Promoting  the  digital  transformation  of  public  administrations  throughout  Europe  is 
also crucial in this regard. 

Europe must invest  more in  the strategic capacities that allow us to  develop  and use digital 
solutions  at  scale  and  to  strive  for  interoperability  in  key  digital  infrastructures,  such  as 
extensive 5G (and future 6G) networks and deep tech.1 To take just one example: connectivity 
is the most fundamental building block of the digital transformation. It is what enables data to 
flow,  people  to  collaborate  wherever  they  are,  and  to  connect  more  objects  to  the  Internet, 
transforming  manufacturing,  mobility  and  logistic  chains.  Gigabit  connectivity2,  powered 
with secure fibre and 5G infrastructures, is vital if we are to tap into Europe’s digital growth 
potential. To this end, adequate investments at EU, national and regional levels are necessary 
to achieve the EU 2025 connectivity objectives.,3  

The new EU Multiannual Financial Framework will contribute to these objectives. The aim is 
to  achieve  more  and  better  strategic  capacity  where  it  matters  –  through  targeted  funding 
programmes4,  and  making  use  of  the  InvestEU  guarantee  and  of  structural  and  rural 
development  funds5.  This  public  funding  has  to  be  used  to  leverage  private  investment, 
because  only  together  can  we  plug  the  investment  gaps.  The  Capital  Markets  Union  will 
facilitate the access of innovative and high-tech companies to market-based financing across 
the whole EU. We therefore need to ensure there is a broad array of private and public equity 
available to finance digital innovation. 

Europe  needs  to  invest  in  connectivity,  deep  tech  and  human  capital,  as  well  as  in  smart 
energy and transport infrastructures. For digital infrastructure and networks alone, the EU has 
an  investment  gap  of  EUR  65  billion  per  year.6  Implementing  reforms  and  stepping  up 
investments in Research and Development and technological deployment could yield 14% of 
cumulative  additional  GDP  growth  by  2030.  Acting  quickly  (for  example  by  stepping  up 
investments and adopting measures by 2022 rather than by 2025) would bring an additional 

1 Supercomputing, quantum technologies, blockchain and secure, pan-European cloud capacities 
2  Commission  Communication  “Connectivity  for  a  Competitive  Digital  Single  Market  -  Towards  a  European 
Gigabit Society”, COM/2016/0587 final. 
3 These objectives require for all European households, rural or urban, an internet connectivity of at least "100 
Mbps, upgradable to Gigabit speed". This reflects the Commission’s expectation that, as the decade progresses, 
households  will increasingly  need 1 Gbps. This is in line  with the  Commission’s observation of exponentially 
growing  network  capacity  demands  and  the  need  to  ensure  sustainable  investments  into  networks  capable  of 
offering symmetric (i.e. upload and download) Gigabit speeds to cater for the European data economy beyond 
2025.  All  main  socio-economic  drivers,  such  as  schools,  hospitals,  businesses  should  already  benefit  from 
Gigabit connectivity with equally fast upload and download speeds at the latest by 2025. 
4  The  Digital  Europe  Programme  (DEP),  Connecting  Europe  Facility  (CEF  2),  Horizon  Europe,  the  Space 
Programme. 
5 ERDF, EARDF. 
6  Restoring  EU  competitiveness,  EIB  2016.  The  EIB  Investment  Report  2019/20,  Accelerating  Europe’s 
Transformation, confirms the large-scale public investment needed to support infrastructure digitalisation. 

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3.2% increase in GDP and positive job creation by 2030.7 This is a socio-economic boost that 
Europe cannot afford to miss.  

Investing in innovation is only part of the issue, however. A true digital transformation has to 
start  from  European  citizens and businesses trusting that their  applications and products  are 
secure.  The  more  interconnected  we  are,  the  more  we  are  vulnerable  to  malicious  cyber 
activity.  To  tackle  this  growing  threat,  we  need  to  work  together  at  every  stage:  setting 
consistent  rules  for  companies  and  stronger  mechanisms  for  proactive  information-sharing; 
ensuring operational cooperation between Member States, and between the EU and Member 
States;  building  synergies  between  civilian  cyber  resilience  and  the  law  enforcement  and 
defence dimensions of cybersecurity8; ensuring that law enforcement and judicial authorities 
can work effectively by developing new tools to use against cybercriminals; and last but by no 
means least, it means raising the awareness of EU citizens on cybersecurity9.  

Feeling safe and secure is not just a question of cybersecurity. Citizens need to be able to trust 
the  technology  itself,  as  well  as  the  way  in  which  it  is  used.  This  is  particularly  important 
when it comes to the issue of artificial intelligence. In this respect, the European Commission 
is presenting a White Paper on creating ecosystems of excellence and trust in the field of AI, 
based on European values.  

Improving education and skills is a key part of the overall vision for digital transformation in 
Europe.  European  companies  need  digitally  savvy  employees  to  thrive  in  the  global 
technology-driven  marketplace.  In  turn,  workers  need  digital  competences  to  succeed  in  an 
increasingly digitalised and fast  changing labour  market10. More women can and must  have 
rewarding  careers  in  tech,  and  European  tech  needs  to  benefit  from  women’s  skills  and 
competences.  

The need for digital skills goes well beyond the jobs market, however. As digital technologies 
permeate our professional and private lives, having at least basic digital literacy and skills has 
become a precondition for participating effectively in today's society.  

As  more  processes  are  automated,  digitisation  will  lead  to  changes  beyond  the  tech  sector. 
Numerous  occupations  will  be  entirely  transformed.  The  digital  transition  must  be  fair  and 
just and encourage women to fully take part. Social partners have a crucial role to play in this 
context. At the same time, promoting innovation and technological diffusion are a prerequisite 

7 Shaping the digital transformation, Study conducted for the European Commission, McKinsey Global Institute 
(to be published in Q2 2020). 
8 The recently published EU toolbox for 5G security constitutes an important milestone as it puts in place a set of 
robust and comprehensive measures for an EU coordinated approach to secure 5G networks. 
9 Enhancing cybersecurity will make a key contribution towards building a genuine and effective Security Union. 
10 Over 90% of jobs already require at least basic digital skills, yet 43% of European citizens and over a third of 
the EU labour force lack them. 

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for a good quality of life, employment opportunities and to close existing participation gaps, 
notably in rural and remote areas suffering from population ageing and decline. 

New  challenges  are  also  emerging  as  regards  working  conditions.  The  growing  number  of 
online platforms has created new opportunities for people to earn income, enter or remain in 
the labour market. At the same time, it has raised new questions as regards legal protections 
for  people  who  do  not  have  a  worker  status  yet  who  share  some  of  the  vulnerabilities  of 
workers.  The  Commission  will  therefore  propose  an  enhanced  framework  for  platform 
workers. 

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Key actions 

- White Paper on Artificial Intelligence setting out options for a legislative framework for 
trustworthy  AI  (adopted  together  with  this  Communication),  with  a  follow-up  on  safety, 
liability, fundamental rights and data (Q4 2020). 

-  Building  and  deploying  cutting-edge  joint  digital  capacities  in  the  areas  of  AI,  cyber, 
super-  and  quantum  computing,  quantum  communication  and  blockchain.  European 
Strategies  on  Quantum  and  blockchain  (Q2  2020)  as  well  as  a  revised  EuroHPC 
Regulation11 on supercomputing.  
-  Accelerating  investments  in  Europe’s  Gigabit  connectivity,  through  a  revision  of  the 
Broadband  Cost  Reduction  Directive12,  an  updated  Action  Plan  on  5G  and  6G,  a  new 
Radio  Spectrum  Policy  Programme  (2021).  5G  corridors  for  connected  and  automated 
mobility, including railway corridors, will be rolled out (2021-2030) (2021-2023).  

- A European  cybersecurity strategy, including the  establishment of a joint Cybersecurity 
Unit, a Review of the Security of Network and Information Systems (NIS) Directive13 and 
giving a push to the single market for cybersecurity. 

- A Digital Education Action Plan to boost digital literacy and competences at all levels of 

education (Q2 2020).  

- A reinforced Skills Agenda to strengthen digital skills throughout society and a reinforced 
Youth  Guarantee  to  put  a  strong  focus  on  digital  skills  in  early  career  transitions  (Q2 
2020). 

- Initiative to improve labour conditions of platform workers (2021). 
-  A  reinforced  EU  governments  interoperability  strategy  to  ensure  coordination  and 
common standards for secure and borderless public sector data flows and services. (2021) 

B.  A fair and competitive economy 

In  an  ever-shrinking  world  where  technology  is  gaining  in  importance,  Europe  needs  to 
continue to act and decide independently and reduce over-reliance on digital solutions created 
elsewhere.  

For  the  development  of  many  products  and  services,  data  needs  to  be  widely  and  easily 
available, easily accessible, and simple to use and process. Data has become a key factor of 
production, and the value it creates has to be shared back with the entire society participating 
in providing the data. This is why we need to build a genuine European single market for data 
- a European data space based on European rules and values.  

11 Council Regulation (EU) 2018/1488 of 28 September 2018. 
12 Directive 2014/61/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 May 2014. 
13 Directive (EU) 2016/1148 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 July 2016. 

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Many  European  companies  –  and  SMEs  in  particular  –  have  been  slow  at  taking  up  digital 
solutions, and therefore have not benefitted from them and missed opportunities to scale up. 
The Commission will seek to address this issue with a new EU Industrial Strategy that will set 
out  actions  to  facilitate  the  transition  towards  a  more  digital,  clean,  circular  and  globally 
competitive EU industry. It will also include a strategy for SMEs, a vital part of the European 
economy, often hampered by lack of available skills, access to finance and markets.  

To  start  up  and  grow  in  Europe,  SMEs  need  a  frictionless  single  market,  unhampered  by 
diverging  local  or  national  regulations  that  increase  administrative  burdens  for  smaller 
companies  in  particular.  They  need  clear  and  proportionate  rules  that  are  effectively  and 
uniformly enforced across the EU, providing them with an immensely powerful home market 
from which to launch themselves on the world stage.  

In  the  digital  age,  ensuring  a  level  playing  field  for  businesses,  big  and  small,  is  more 
important than ever. This suggests that rules applying offline  – from competition and single 
market  rules,  consumer  protection,  to  intellectual  property,  taxation  and  workers’  rights  – 
should also apply online. Consumers need to be able to trust digital products and service just 
as  much  as  they  would  any  other.  There  is  a  need  to  pay  attention  to  the  most  vulnerable 
consumers and to ensure the enforcement of safety laws, also in relation to goods originating 
from third countries. Some platforms have acquired significant scale, which effectively allows 
them  to  act  as  private  gatekeepers  to  markets,  customers  and  information.  We  must  ensure 
that the systemic role of certain online platforms and the market power they acquire will not 
put in danger the fairness and openness of our markets.  

With specific respect to EU competition law, its foundations are as relevant for digital as for 
traditional  industries.  EU  competition  law  serves  Europe  well  by  contributing  to  a  level 
playing  field  where  markets  serve  consumers.  At  the  same  time,  it  is  important  that  the 
competition rules remain fit for a world that is changing fast, is increasingly digital and must 
become  greener.  With  this  in  mind,  the  Commission  is  currently  reflecting  on  the 
effectiveness of the way in which the current rules are applied, for example in relation to anti-
trust remedies, and also conducting an evaluation and review of the rules themselves to ensure 
that they meet today’s digital and green challenges. 

Reviews are already underway of the rules governing horizontal and vertical agreements and 
of the market definition notice, as is a “fitness” check of various state aid guidelines. Among 
the key issues for Europe’s digital future are data access, pooling and sharing, and the balance 
between  online  and  offline  commerce.  The  review  of  the  market  definition  notice  will  also 
take account of new digital business models - such as “free” services that users access while 
providing their data – and their implications for competitive constraints. The ongoing fitness 
check  of  the  Commission’s  2014  Important  Projects  of  Common  European  Interest  (IPCEI) 
Communication  is  designed  to  assess  whether  an  update  is  necessary  to  further  clarify  the 

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conditions  under  which  major  Member  State-led  projects  in  key,  strategic  sectors  for  the 
digital and green future of Europe can proceed effectively. 

The Commission is also planning to launch a sector inquiry with a strong focus on these new 
and emerging markets that are shaping our economy and society. 

However, competition policy alone cannot address all the systemic problems that may arise in 
the platform economy.  Based on the single market logic,  additional rules may be needed to 
ensure  contestability,  fairness  and innovation and the possibility of market  entry,  as well  as 
public interests that go beyond competition or economic considerations. 

Ensuring fairness in the digital economy is a major challenge. In the borderless digital world, 
a handful of companies with the largest market share get the bulk of the profits on the value 
that  is  created  in  a  data-based  economy.  Those  profits  are  often  not  taxed  where  they  are 
generated as a result of outdated corporate tax rules, distorting competition. This is why the 
Commission  will  look  to  address  the  tax  challenges  arising  from  the  digitisation  of  the 
economy. 

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Key actions 

-  A  European  Data  Strategy  to  make  Europe  a  global  leader  in  the  data-agile  economy 
(February 2020), announcing a legislative framework for data governance (Q4 2020) and a 
possible Data Act (2021).  

- Ongoing evaluation and review of the  fitness of EU competition rules for the digital age 

(2020-2023), and launch of a sector inquiry (2020).  

- The Commission will further explore, in the context of the Digital Services Act package, ex 
ante rules to ensure that markets characterised by large platforms with significant network 
effects  acting  as  gate-keepers,  remain  fair  and  contestable  for  innovators,  businesses,  and 
new market entrants. (Q4 2020). 

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- Propose an Industrial Strategy Package putting forward a range of actions to facilitate the 
transformation  towards  clean,  circular,  digital  and  globally  competitive  EU  industries, 
including SMEs and the reinforcement of single market rules.  

- Create a framework to enable convenient, competitive and secure Digital Finance, including 
legislative proposals on crypto assets, and on digital operational and cyber resilience in the 
financial sector and a strategy towards an integrated EU payments market that supports pan-
European digital payment services and solutions (Q3 2020); 

-  Communication  on  Business  Taxation  for  the  21st  century,  taking  into  account  the 
progress  made  in  the  context  of  the  Organisation  for  Economic  Co-operation  and 
Development  (OECD)  to  address  the  tax  challenges  arising  from  the  digitisation  of  the 
economy. 

-  Delivering  a  new  Consumer  Agenda,  which  will  empower  consumers  to  make  informed 

choices and play an active role in the digital transformation (Q4 2020). 

C.  An open, democratic and sustainable society  

People are entitled to technology that they can trust. What is illegal offline must also be illegal 
online. While we cannot predict the future of digital technology, European values and ethical 
rules and social and environmental norms must apply also in the digital space.  

In  recent  years,  Europe  has  led  the  way  towards  an  open,  fair,  inclusive  and  people-centric 
internet  with  its  standard-setting  General  Data  Protection  Regulation  and  its  rules  for 
platform-to-business  cooperation.  In  order  to  protect  European  democracies  and  the  values 
underpinning them, the Commission will continue to develop and implement innovative and 
proportionate  rules  for  a  trustworthy  digital  society.  Such  a  digital  society  should  be  fully 
inclusive, fair and accessible for all. 

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In  this  context,  it  is  essential  that  the  rules  applicable  to  digital  services  across  the  EU  are 
strengthened and modernised, clarifying the roles and responsibilities of online platforms. The 
sale  of  illicit,  dangerous  or  counterfeit  goods,  and  dissemination  of  illegal  content  must  be 
tackled as effectively online as it is offline.  

Trust  in  the  online  world  also  means  helping  consumers  take  greater  control  of  and 
responsibility for their own data and identity. Clearer rules on the transparency, behaviour and 
accountability of those who act as gatekeepers to information and data flows are needed, as is 
effective  enforcement  of  existing  rules.  People  should  also  be  able  to  control  their  online 
identity,  when  authentication  is  needed  to  access  certain  online  services.  A  universally 
accepted  public  electronic  identity  (eID)  is  necessary  for  consumers  to  have  access  to  their 
data  and  securely  use  the  products  and  services  they  want  without  having  to  use  unrelated 
platforms  to  do  so  and  unnecessarily  sharing  personal  data  with  them.  Europeans  can  also 
benefit from use of data to improve public as well as private decision-making. 

In  a world  where much  of the public debate and political  advertising has moved online, we 
must also be prepared to act to forcefully defend our democracies. Citizens want meaningful 
answers  to  attempted  manipulations  of  the  information  space,  often  in  the  form  of  targeted 
and coordinated disinformation campaigns. Europe needs greater transparency on the ways in 
which information  is  shared and managed on the internet.  Trustworthy quality media  is  key 
for  democracy  as  well  as  for  cultural  diversity.  With  these  in  mind,  the  Commission  will 
present  a  European  Democracy  Action  Plan  and  a  specific  action  plan  for  the  media  and 
audiovisual sector. 

The  digital  component  will  also  be  key  in  reaching  the  ambitions  of  the  European  Green 
Deal14 and the Sustainable Development Goals15. As powerful enablers for the sustainability 
transition, digital solutions can advance the circular economy, support the decarbonisation of 
all  sectors  and  reduce  the  environmental  and  social  footprint  of  products  placed  on  the  EU 
market.  For  example,  key  sectors  such  as  precision  agriculture,  transport  and  energy  can 
benefit immensely from digital solutions in pursuing the ambitious sustainability objectives of 
the European Green Deal.  

Digital solutions, and data in particular, will also enable a fully integrated life-cycle approach, 
from design through sourcing of energy, raw materials and other inputs to final products until 
the end-of-life stage. For example, by tracking when and where electricity is most needed, we 
can increase energy efficiency and use fewer fossil fuels.  

14 The European Green Deal, COM(2019) 640 final, 11 Dec. 2019: 
https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/european-green-deal-communication_en.pdf 
15 The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) are a collection of 17 global goals designed to be a “blueprint to 
achieve a better and more sustainable future for all”. They were set by the UN General Assembly, as part of UN 
resolution 70/1, in 2015: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/. 

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Yet it is also clear that the ICT sector also needs to undergo its own green transformation. The 
environmental  footprint  of  the  sector  is  significant,  estimated  at  5-9%  of  the  world's  total 
electricity use and more than 2% of all emissions.16 Data centres and telecommunications will 
need  to  become  more  energy  efficient,  reuse  waste  energy,  and  use  more  renewable  energy 
sources. They can and should become climate neutral by 2030.  

How  ICT  equipment  is  designed,  bought,  consumed  and  recycled  also  matters.  Beyond  the 
energy  efficiency  requirements  of  Ecodesign,  ICT  equipment  must  become  fully  circular  - 
designed  to  last  longer,  to  be  properly  maintained,  to  contain  recycled  material  and  to  be 
easily dismantled and recycled. 

The power of data is essential also in the health sector. Digitised health records, gathered in a 
European  health  data  space,  can  lead  to  better  treatment  for  major  chronic  conditions, 
including cancer and rare diseases, but also to equal access to high quality health services for 
all citizens. 

Key actions 

- New and revised rules to deepen the Internal Market for Digital Services, by increasing 
and  harmonising  the responsibilities of online platforms  and information service providers 
and reinforce the oversight over platforms’ content policies in the EU. (Q4 2020, as part of 
the Digital Services Act package).  

-  Revision  of  eIDAS  Regulation  to  improve  its  effectiveness,  extend  its  benefits  to  the 

private sector and promote trusted digital identities for all Europeans (Q4 2020) 

-  
- Media and audiovisual Action Plan to support digital transformation and competitiveness 
of  the  audiovisual  and  media  sector,  to  stimulate  access  to  quality  content  and  media 
pluralism (Q4 2020)  

-  European  Democracy  Action  Plan  to  improve  the  resilience  of  our  democratic  systems, 
support  media  pluralism  and  address  the  threats  of  external  intervention  in  European 
elections (Q4 2020) 

- Destination Earth, initiative to develop a high precision digital model of Earth (a “Digital 
Twin  of  the  Earth”)  that  would  improve  Europe’s  environmental  prediction  and  crisis 
management capabilities (Timing: from 2021). 

- A circular electronics initiative, mobilising existing and new instruments in line with the 
policy framework for sustainable products of the forthcoming circular economy action plan, 

16  World  Energy  Forum:  https://www.enerdata.net/publications/executive-briefing/expected-world-energy-
consumption-increase-from-digitalization.html.  

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to  ensure  that  devices  are  designed  for  durability,  maintenance,  dismantling,  reuse  and 
recycling  and  including  a  right  to  repair  or  upgrade  to  extend  the  lifecycle  of  electronic 
devices and to avoid premature obsolescence (2021). 

- Initiatives to achieve climate-neutral, highly energy-efficient and sustainable data centres by 
no later than 2030 and transparency measures for telecoms operators on their environmental 
footprint. 

-  The  promotion  of  electronic  health  records  based  on  a  common  European  exchange 
format  to  give  European  citizens  secure  access  to  and  exchange  of  health  data  across  the 
EU . A European health data space to improve safe and secure accessibility of health data 
allowing for targeted and faster research, diagnosis and treatment ( from 2022). 

3.  The international dimension – Europe as a global player 

The European model has proved to be an inspiration for many other partners around the world 
as  they  seek  to  address  policy  challenges,  and  this  should  be  no  different  when  it  comes  to 
digital.  
In geopolitical terms, the EU should leverage its regulatory power, reinforced industrial and 
technological capabilities, diplomatic strengths and external financial instruments to advance 
the  European  approach  and  shape  global  interactions.  This  includes  the  work  done  under 
association and trade agreements, as well as agreements reached in international bodies such 
the United Nations, the OECD, ISO and the G20, with the support of EU Member States.  

A  strong  digital  presence  in  the  EU’s  enlargement,  neighbourhood  and  development  policy 
will enable growth and drive sustainable development, including the uptake of green ICT in 
partner countries and regions, in accordance with Europe’s commitment to the 2030 Agenda 
for  Sustainable  Development.  The  conclusions  of  the  EU-African  Union  Digital  Economy 
Task  Force  will  underpin  the  support  for  the  digital  transformation  in  Africa,  including  the 
creation of a single African Digital Market as funding becomes available under the EU’s new 
Multiannual Financial Framework.  

Many countries around the world have aligned their own legislation with the EU’s strong data 
protection regime. Mirroring this success, the EU should actively promote its model of a safe 
and open global Internet.  

In terms of standards, our trading partners have joined the EU-led process that successfully set 
global standards for 5G and the Internet of Things. Europe must now lead in the adoption and 
standardisation  process  of  the  new  generation  of  technology:  blockchain,  supercomputing, 
quantum technologies, algorithms and tools to allow data sharing and data usage.17  

17  For  example,  the  use  of  the  EU  eInvoicing  standard  in  Australia,  New  Zealand  and  Singapore,  has  been  a 
success, acting as a trade facilitator for EU businesses and is being considered for use at international level. 

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As  regards  trade  and  investment,  the  Commission  will  continue  to  address  unjustified 
restrictions for European companies in third countries, such as data localisation requirements, 
and  pursue  ambitious  goals  in  terms  of  market  access,  respect  of  intellectual  property, 
research  and  development  and  standardisation  programmes.  The  ongoing  discussions  about 
building a trustworthy data alliance with like-minded partners who share our values and high 
standards could enhance data flows and the pool of available high-quality data. 

The European Union is and will remain the most open region for trade and investment in the 
world,  provided  that  anyone  who  comes  to  do  business  here  accepts  and  respects  our  rules. 
The Commission will use all instruments at its disposal to ensure that everyone respects EU 
legislation and international rules to maintain a level playing field in the digital sector. It will 
also  propose  new  rules  where  necessary,  such  as  the  ongoing  work  to  develop  a  legal 
instrument to deal with the distortive effects of foreign subsidies in the internal market. 

A Global Digital Cooperation Strategy will put forward a European approach to the digital 
transformation  that  builds  on  our  long  and  successful  history  of  technology,  innovation  and 
ingenuity,  vested  in  European  values,  including  openness,  and  will  project  them  onto  the 
international stage and engage with our partners. It will also reflect the EU's work in Africa 
and  elsewhere  with  respect  to  the  Sustainable  Development  Goals,  "Digital4Development" 
and capacity building. 

Europe is at the forefront in addressing manipulative interference in its information space and 
has developed important approaches and instruments. It will continue to work closely with its 
international partners, such as the G7, to find common approaches with a view to developing 
international norms and standards. 

Key actions 

- A Global Digital Cooperation Strategy (2021). 
- A White Paper on an instrument on foreign subsidies (Q2 2020). 
- A Digital  for Development Hub  that will build and consolidate a  whole-of-EU approach 
promoting  EU  values  and  mobilising  EU  member  states  and  EU  industry,  Civil  Society 
Organisations (CSOs), financial institutions, expertise and technologies in digitisation. 

-  A  strategy  for  standardisation,  which  will  allow  for  the  deployment  of  interoperable 
technologies respecting Europe’s rules, and promote Europe’s approach and interests on the 
global stage (Q3 2020). 

- Mapping of opportunities and action plan to promote the European approach in bilateral 

relations and multilateral fora (Q2 2020). 

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4.  Conclusion 

Digital technologies, as advanced as they may be, are just a tool. They cannot solve all of our 
problems. Yet they are making things possible which were unthinkable a generation ago. The 
success  of  Europe’s  digital  strategy  will  be  measured  in  how  well  we  are  able  to  put  these 
tools to work in delivering public goods to European citizens. 

The  data-agile  economy  and  its  enormous  transformative  potential  will  affect  all  of  us  and 
Europe  stands  ready  to  make  full  use  of  the  advantages  it  will  bring.  Yet  for  this  digital 
transformation  to  be fully  successful, we will need to  create the right  frameworks to  ensure 
trustworthy  technology  and  to  give  businesses  the  confidence,  competences  and  means  to 
digitalise. Coordination of efforts between the EU, Member States, regions, civil society and 
the private sector is key to achieving this and strengthening European digital leadership.  

Europe  can  own  this  digital  transformation  and  set  the  global  standards  when  it  comes  to 
technological development. More importantly still, it can do so while ensuring the inclusion 
and respect of every single human being. The digital transformation can only work if it works 
for all and not for only a few. It will be a truly European project – a digital society based on 
European values and European rules - that can truly inspire the rest of the world. 

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