For the first time ever, the European Commission proposed a Digital Europe programme investing €9.2 billion to align the next long-term EU budget 2021-2027 with the challenges of the ongoing digital transformation. With the Digital Single Market strategy, a regulatory framework has been established that is fit for the digital age. This needs to be matched with equally ambitious funding and investments in the Digital Europe programme to increase the EU's international competitiveness and reinforce Europe's strategic digital capacities. These key capacities concern high-performance computing, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity ensuring their wide use and accessibility across the economy and society by businesses and the public sector alike.
Gains from EU investments in High Performance Computing (HPC), artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity will only materialise if there are enough skilled people to use, develop and roll-out these new technologies. The advanced digital skills pillar included in the Digital Europe Programme will allow expanding the pool of digitally skilled talent that will enable innovation and the take-up of new technologies in the economy. Specific support will be provided to the development of advanced digital skills in areas such as high performance computing, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and digital public services. Interventions will be designed in cooperation with the actors developing and deploying digital technologies, so as to reflect the latest state of the art and provide a swift response to the needs of fast-developing sectors.
At the same time, the proposals foresee other actions targeting basic digital skills development through the European Social Fund; digital skills for young people in Erasmus+, to be acquired through cross-border experiences; scholarships for researchers in the future Horizon Europe, and digital skills training to support people losing their jobs as a result of major structural changes through the Global Adjustment Fund.
