On Thursday, 5 June, the European Commission presented a comprehensive new International Digital Strategy. This proposal outlines how the EU aims to navigate the rapidly evolving digital world, foster strong international partnerships, and champion a digital future that aligns with its core values. The strategy comes at a crucial time, as the digital revolution continues to reshape global economies and societies amidst an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape.
The EU’s new International Digital Strategy positions the bloc as a stable and reliable partner, ready to collaborate with countries around internationally on their digital journeys. The strategy isn’t just about looking outwards; it also complements the EU’s internal efforts to enhance its competitiveness in key technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence. However, a core principle is that of shared progress. The EU is committed to supporting its partners in their own digital transitions, ensuring that the benefits of digitalisation are widespread. At the core of this vision is the goal of establishing a rules-based global digital order—one that is open, secure, and deeply rooted in fundamental European values such as democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.
The EU’s three-pronged approach
To achieve its ambitious goals, the EU has outlined three main pillars for its International Digital Strategy:
- Expanding international partnerships: The EU aims to broaden its network of digital allies. This involves strengthening existing Digital Partnerships and Dialogues with countries worldwide, as well as forging new ones. A new “Digital Partnership Network” will be established to foster greater collaboration. The ultimate goal is to bolster the technological competitiveness and security of both the EU and its international partners. This builds on established frameworks like Trade and Technology Councils and various digital dialogues.
- Deploying an EU tech business offer: The strategy involves a concerted effort to combine investments from both the EU’s public and private sectors. This financial and technical support will be channelled toward helping partner countries advance their digital transitions. Key initiatives will include support for what the EU terms “AI Factories,” investments in secure and trusted digital connectivity (such as undersea cables or satellite constellations), the development of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), and bolstering cybersecurity capabilities in partner nations.
- Strengthening global digital governance: The EU will actively promote a global digital order that is predictable and based on established rules and international law. This involves championing its values on the world stage, ensuring that the digital transformation upholds principles of social cohesion and protects individual freedoms.
Priorities
The EU’s collaborative efforts with other partners will focus on several key priority areas:
- Secure and trusted digital infrastructure: This is fundamental for the development of critical sectors like energy, transport, finance, and health.
- Emerging technologies: Cooperation will be key in cutting-edge fields such as AI, next-generation mobile networks (5G and 6G), semiconductors (the essential building blocks of electronic devices), and quantum technologies.
- Values-based digital governance: The focus will be on ensuring that digital governance models foster social cohesion, protect human rights, and uphold democratic principles.
- Cybersecurity: Strengthening the cyber defences of partner countries is seen as a direct investment in the EU’s security and stability.
- Digital identities and digital public infrastructure: The EU will work towards arrangements for mutual recognition of digital identities with key partners. This aims to simplify cross-border business operations and make it easier for citizens to move and access services.
- Online platforms: Efforts will continue to promote the protection of children online, safeguard freedom of speech, support democracy, and ensure citizens’ privacy in the digital spheres.
Conclusion
The EU’s International Digital Strategy marks a clear ambition to be a leading and principled player in shaping the global digital landscape. However, this outward-looking strategy is also tempered with a dose of realism regarding the EU’s own long-term goals for technological sovereignty, often referred to as “strategic autonomy.” While the immediate future will see an emphasis on building robust international partnerships – acknowledging that, for instance, decoupling from the U.S. tech ecosystem built over decades is not feasible overnight – this does not mean abandoning the long-term ambition of strengthening Europe’s own capabilities.
