The European Commission has proposed to invest a total of EUR 9.2 billion from 2021 to 2027 on the European Union's first ever digital programme focusing on innovative technology in areas such as supercomputers, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. In a statement setting out the proposal, the EC said it would allocate EUR 2.7 billion to high-performance supercomputer and data processing projects, which are set to play a key role in the development of areas such as health care, renewable energy, car safety and cybersecurity. A further EUR 2.5 billion will be allocated to help spread AI across the European economy and society via common 'European libraries' of algorithms accessible to all, while EUR 2 billion is planned to boost cyber defence and the EU's cybersecurity industry.
Another focus area is digital skills (EUR 700 million), with Digital Innovation Hubs set up to help small and medium-sized enterprises and public administrations via training courses and on-the-job traineeships. Finally, EUR 1.3 billion will be allocated to ensuring the digital transformation of public administration and public services and their EU-wide interoperability and to facilitating access to technology and know-how for all businesses, above all SMEs.
The EC said the Digital Europe programme is part of the "Single Market, Innovation and Digital" chapter of the EU's long-term budget proposal. Digital Single Market vice president Andrus Ansip said the aim is to make the EU budget “fit for future challenge” while digital economy and society commissioner Mariya Gabriel said the programme would be “a major step for strengthening Europe's world leadership in the digital transformation.”
