In a decisive move towards promoting digital policy, the European Union (EU) has allocated a significant budget of €763 million to the Digital Europe programme. The largest share, approximately 549 million euros, will strengthen ongoing projects and multilateral efforts in line with the Digital Decade goals. These goals are a roadmap for Member States and aim to accelerate their digital transformation by 2030.
Originally launched in March, the ongoing projects span a range of digital technologies, including supercomputers, AI, cloud and cybersecurity. EU Vice-President Margrethe Vestager underlined the importance of the Digital Europe program, saying: “The Digital Europe Program is key to pooling EU and national funding to achieve ambitious digital projects.” .
Apart from sustaining existing initiatives, this funding will facilitate new activities to support the enforcement of the AI Act and the creation of a European AI ecosystem. There will be a particular focus on ethical AI development and improving digital skills, with a particular focus on small and medium-sized enterprises.
However, what is notable about this allocation is that €214 million is allocated to cybersecurity. While this effort is significant, critics argue that the EU’s investment looks modest given the growing threat of cyberwar and the trillions of dollars in damages it causes each year. By comparison, the United States, which has a much smaller population, allocates billions of dollars each year to combating cybercrime, and in 2023 it will exceed $111 billion.
The European Cybersecurity Competence Center (ECCC) will lead cybersecurity efforts, and national coordination centers will facilitate cooperation among member states. Despite concerns about the adequacy of the cybersecurity budget, the EU remains confident in its strategy. The first call for applications for the Digital Europe program will be announced early next year, marking a vital step towards a digitally resilient future.