The Commission has adopted three work programmes for the Digital Europe Programme, outlining the objectives and specific topic areas that will receive a total of €1.98 billion in funding.
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This first set of work programmes includes strategic investments that will be instrumental in realising the Commission's goals in making this Europe's Digital Decade. The Digital Europe Programme aims to bolster Europe's technological sovereignty and bring digital solutions to market for the benefit of citizens, public administrations, and businesses.
The main work programme, worth €1.38 billion, will focus on investment in the areas of artificial intelligence (AI), cloud and data spaces, quantum communication infrastructure, advanced digital skills, and the wide use of digital technologies across the economy and society, until the end of 2022.
Alongside this main work programme, the Commission published two specific work programmes: the first one focuses on funding in the area of cybersecurity, with a budget of €269 million until the end of 2022; and the second one focuses on the set up and operation of the network of European Digital Innovation Hubs, with a budget of €329 million, until the end of 2023.
Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice President for a Europe fit for the Digital Age, said: “With the Digital Europe Programme, we are building secure and sustainable digital infrastructures. We are also enabling businesses gain better access to data or use solutions powered by artificial intelligence. The programme also invests to ensure that Europeans can get the right skills to actively participate in the labour market. The aim is that everyone in Europe citizens, businesses and administrations can benefit from market ready technological solutions.â€
The work programme on cybersecurity will see investments in building up advanced cybersecurity equipment, tools and data infrastructures. It will fund the development and best use of knowledge and skills related to cybersecurity, promote sharing of best practices and ensure wide deployment of state–of the art cybersecurity solutions across the European economy.
In order to help fulfil its objectives, the Digital Europe Programme will deploy a network of European Digital Innovation Hubs offering access to technology testing and support the digital transformation of private and public organisations all across Europe, including government at national, regional or local level, as appropriate.
The European Digital Innovation Hubs will be an important tool in EU policies, in particular the industrial policy and the policy for small and medium businesses and start ups, to support companies and the public sector in the twin green and digital transitions.
The first calls for the Digital Europe Programme will be published by the end of November, and more calls will be published in 2022. The work programmes will be implemented mainly through grants and procurement. A few actions, such as the topics under the Destination Earth initiative will be implemented through indirect management, with partner organisations procuring for the necessary developments. ■