2030 policy programme “Path to the Digital Decade”

The European Parliament adopted by 522 votes to 29, with 25 abstentions, a legislative resolution on the proposal for a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the 2030 Policy Programme ‘Path to the Digital Decade’.

Parliament adopted its position at first reading in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, amending the proposal as follows:

Subject

This Decision establishes the Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030 and sets out a monitoring and cooperation mechanism for that programme designated to:

- creating an environment favourable to innovation and investment by setting a clear direction for the digital transformation of the Union and for the delivery of digital targets at Union level by 2030, on the basis of measurable indicators;

- structuring and stimulating cooperation between the European Parliament, the Council, the Commission and the Member States;

- fostering the consistency, comparability, transparency and completeness of monitoring and reporting by the Union.

General objectives

The European Parliament, the Council, the Commission and the Member States should cooperate to support and achieve the following general objectives at Union level:

- promoting a human-centred, fundamental-rights-based, inclusive, transparent and open digital environment where secure and interoperable digital technologies and services observe and enhance Union principles, rights and values and are accessible to all, everywhere in the Union;

- reinforcing Member States’ collective resilience and bridging the digital divide, achieving gender and geographic balance, developing basic and advanced digital skills and competencies, fostering the development of high-performing digital capacities within horizontal education and training systems;

- ensuring the Union’s digital sovereignty in an open manner, in particular by secure and accessible digital and data infrastructures capable of efficiently storing, transmitting and processing vast volumes of data that enable other technological developments, supporting the competitiveness and sustainability of the Union’s industry and economy, in particular of SMEs, and the resilience of the Union’s value chains, as well as fostering the start-up ecosystem and the smooth functioning of the European digital innovation hubs;

- promoting the deployment and the use of digital capabilities with a view to reducing the geographical digital divide and granting access to digital technologies and data on open, accessible and fair terms;

- developing a comprehensive and sustainable ecosystem of interoperable digital infrastructures, where high performance, edge, cloud, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, data management and network connectivity work in convergence;

- promoting a Union digital regulatory environment to support the ability of Union undertakings, especially that of SMEs, to compete fairly along global value chains;

- ensuring that online participation in democratic life is possible for everyone, and that public services, health and care services are also accessible in a trusted and secure online environment for everyone, in particular for disadvantaged groups;

- ensuring that digital infrastructure and technologies, including their supply chains, become more sustainable, resilient, and energy- and resource-efficient, with a view to minimising their negative environmental and social impact;

- improving resilience to cyberattacks.

Digital targets

The following digital targets should be reached in the Union by 2030:

- at least 80 % of those aged 16-74 have at least basic digital skills;

- at least 20 million ICT specialists are employed within the Union, while promoting the access of women to this field and increasing the number of ICT graduates;

- all end users at a fixed location are covered by a gigabit network up to the network termination point, and all populated areas are covered by next-generation wireless high-speed networks with performance at least equivalent to that of 5G, in accordance with the principle of technological neutrality;

- the production, in accordance with Union law on environmental sustainability, of cutting-edge semiconductors in the Union is at least 20 % of world production in value;

- at least 75 % of Union enterprises have taken up one or more of the following, in line with their business operations;

- there is 100 % online accessible provision of key public services and 100 % of Union citizens have access to secure electronic identification (eID) means that are recognised throughout the Union, enabling them to have full control over identity transactions and shared personal data.

National strategic roadmaps

No later than nine months after the date of entry into force of the Decision, each Member State should submit its national roadmap to the Commission. Regional roadmaps may be developed.

The roadmaps should be drafted after consultation with key stakeholders, such as business organisations, including SME representatives, social partners and civil society, including older people and youth, as well as local and regional representatives, and should be a key tool for coordinating Member States' policies and ensuring predictability for the market.

Mechanisms for cooperation between the Commission and the Member States

The Commission and the Member States should cooperate closely to identify ways to address shortcomings in areas where progress towards one or more of the digital targets is regarded to be insufficient by the Commission and the Member States. In the event of significant deviation from the national target paths, the Commission or the Member State concerned may enter into a structured dialogue with each other.

The Commission should consult in a timely, transparent and regular manner with private and public stakeholders, including representatives of SMEs, social partners and civil society, in order to gather information and develop policies, measures and recommended actions for the implementation of this Decision.