Digital Europe

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Digital Europe, is the new EU programme to accelerate recovery and drive Europe's digital transformation. In particular, it aims to develop the EU's strategic digital capabilities and facilitate the widespread use of digital technologies by European citizens, businesses and public administrations.

Structure of the programme

For the period 2021-2027, the programme includes five priority areas.

These are, specifically, three strategic technologies: Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and High Performance Computing (HPC); these are complemented by a fourth area of intervention concerning the advanced digital skills needed to achieve European digitalization targets and to promote business competitiveness, and a fifth area dedicated to the development of actions to support the best use of these technologies.

Objectives

Each priority area has specific objectives and implementation arrangements:

1. High Performance Computing (HPC)

Operational objectives:

• to implement, coordinate at Union level and operate an integrated, world-class data and supercomputing infrastructure, accessible on a non-commercial basis to public and private users and for publicly funded research purposes;
• deploy ready-to-use/operational technology from research and innovation activities to create an integrated Union-wide ecosystem for high-performance computing encompassing all segments of the scientific and industrial value chain, including hardware, software, applications, services, interconnections and e-skills;
• implementing and operating a post-exascale infrastructure, including integration with quantum computing technologies, and developing new research infrastructures in the field of informatics.

2. Artificial intelligence (AI)

Operational objectives:

• develop and enhance the core capacity of artificial intelligence in the Union, including data resources and algorithm stores, in compliance with data protection legislation;
• make these capabilities accessible to all enterprises and public administrations;
• strengthening and networking existing testing and experimentation facilities for artificial intelligence in the Member States;
• developing and enhancing business application and production systems to facilitate the integration of technologies into value chains and the development of innovative business models; reducing the time gap between innovation and its commercial exploitation and fostering the uptake of AI-based solutions in areas of public interest and society.

3. Cybersecurity and trust

Operational objectives:

• support, together with Member States, the acquisition of advanced equipment, data infrastructures and tools for cyber security, in full compliance with data protection legislation;
• support the optimal use of European knowledge, skills and competences related to cyber security;
• ensure wide implementation of the latest cyber security solutions in all economic sectors;
• strengthening capabilities in Member States and the private sector to help them comply with the EU Directive on measures for a common high level of security of networks and information systems in the Union;
• improve resilience to cyber-attacks, help develop greater risk awareness and better knowledge of cyber security processes, support public and private organisations in achieving basic levels of cyber security;
• improving cooperation between the civil and defence sectors on cyber security projects, services, expertise and dual-use applications.

4. Advanced digital competences

Operational objectives:

• support the design and implementation of long-term training courses and activities for students, IT professionals and the workforce;
• support the design and implementation of short-term training courses and activities for entrepreneurs, small business managers and the workforce;
• support internship and on-the-job training activities for students, young entrepreneurs and graduates.

5. Implementation, optimal use of digital capacity and interoperability

Operational objectives:

• ensure that the public sector and areas of public interest, such as health and care, education, justice, transport, energy, environment, and the cultural and creative sectors, can access and implement the most advanced digital technologies, in particular high performance computing, artificial intelligence and cyber security;
• implement, operate and maintain interoperable digital service infrastructures at trans-European level (and related services), in complementarity with national and regional actions;
• facilitate the development, updating and use of solutions and frameworks by public administrations, businesses and European citizens, including the re-use of solutions and frameworks for interoperability;
• enabling public administrations to access pilot and test activities of digital technologies, including their use across borders;
• support the take-up by Union industry and in particular by SMEs of advanced digital and related technologies, including in particular high performance computing, artificial intelligence, cyber security and future emerging technologies;
• support the design, testing, deployment and implementation of interoperable digital solutions for public services at EU level delivered through a platform of data-driven reusable solutions, foster innovation and establish common frameworks to realise the full potential of public administration services for European citizens and businesses;
• ensure continued capacity at Union level to observe, analyse and adapt to rapidly evolving digital trends and to share and integrate best practices;
• support collaboration on the establishment of a European ecosystem for trusted infrastructures using distributed ledger services and applications, including support for interoperability and standardisation and promotion of the deployment of EU cross-border applications;
• establish and strengthen the network of digital innovation poles.

Duration and budget

The total budget of the programme, for the period 2021-2027, is 7,588,000,000 Euro – allocated among priority areas, as follows:

Priority area	Financial allocation
1. Supercomputing	2.226.914.000 euro
2. Artificial Intelligence	2.061.956.000 euro
3. Cybersecurity	1.649.566.000 euro
4. Advanced Digital Skills	577.347.000 euro
5. Ensuring the wide use of digital technologies across the economy and society	1.072.217.000 euro

How to participate

Eligible applicants are entities with legal personality established in the EU or in Overseas Countries and Territories related to an EU Member State or in Third Countries associated to the Programme, legal entities established under EU law and international organisations of European interest.

The third countries associated with the programme are the EFTA/EEA countries, candidate countries and potential candidates, beneficiaries of the accession policy, and neighbourhood policy countries. Other third countries may be eligible where their participation is necessary to achieve the objectives of the Programme; in this case the conditions for participation are specified in the annual work programme and/or in the text of the call for proposals.

The programme is implemented partly under direct management and partly indirectly. It can provide funding in the form of contracts (main form), grants and prizes or in the form of financial instruments (as part of mixed financing operations). It can also be implemented through European partnerships.

To implement the programme, the Commission shall adopt work programmes, which shall run for an indicative period of two years. The work programmes shall specify the actions to be implemented, the amounts set and, where appropriate, the conditions to be met, including the eligible States.

Participant Identification Code (PIC)

It is necessary that the participating organisation is registered in the Participant Portal and has a PIC. The PIC for the University of Florence is 999895789.

Documents and links

• Official page
• Work Programmes
• Questions and Answers
• EU Regulation No. 694 of 29 April 2021

Contacts

UP Ricerca europea e internazionale

Cristina Galletti