32ND EUROPEAN REGIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE INTERNATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS SOCIETY
Realising the digital decade in the European Union – Easier said than done?
In the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic, the European Union (EU) launched its ‘Digital Decade’ programme. By 2030, the EU envisages to have dramatically transformed the digital skills of its citizens and witnessed the digital transformation of businesses. Among various goals, public services shall be digitalised, a large majority of businesses have adopted AI, big data and cloud computing services, and connectivity improved so that everyone will have access to gigabit broadband and 5G.
These are ambitious goals. To be achieved, they require considerable investments, not only to ensure that connectivity is enhanced and cloud infrastructure available, but also that these improved assets can be best utilised by individuals, businesses and governments. Co-ordination is also required between EU institutions and Member States on the one hand, and between Member States, industry, educational institutions etc on the other.
