Further enhancing the EU's digital competitiveness

Key points

The EESC:

• is of the position that the EU needs to provide a favourable business environment, based on a comprehensive strategy that brings together and aligns different policy areas, with competitiveness, the social dimension and impact of business on citizens' welfare being at the forefront.
• believes that European citizens must be involved in the digital competitiveness strategy and must feel reassured when it comes to one of the most relevant topics regarding digital and data collection: cybersecurity. The EESC is of the view that the EU needs to promote a European data economy by enhancing the availability, accessibility and transfer of data, accompanied by appropriate data protection.
• is of the opinion that investment in a comprehensive, effective and secure digital infrastructure is a necessary foundation for any digital development.
• believes that excellence in key technologies requires a significant increase in both public and private investment in research and innovation, the development of world-class RDI infrastructures, the attraction of talent, and the creation of ecosystems based on cooperation between businesses, universities and research institutions.
• maintains that the EU and Member States should focus specific efforts on supporting and facilitating the digitalisation of SMEs. This will involve engaging SMEs in innovation hubs, data spaces and business ecosystems.
• calls for a smart and combined strategy regarding skills as many sectors are already preparing large-scale projects regarding the reskilling and upskilling of their workforce based on digitalisation and the green transition.
• believes that ambitious and challenging key performance indicators are fundamental to boost and measure the EU's digital competitiveness. The current indicators (based on the Digital Economy and Society Index, DESI) and the targets set in the context of the Digital Compass should be assessed and complemented.

For more information please contact the INT Section Secretariat.