Digital Assembly 2021: Leading Europe’s Digital Decade

On 1 and 2 June 2021, the European Commission and the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union will host the Digital Assembly, which this year will be dedicated to Europe’s Digital Decade. This high-level event will focus on the EU targets for 2030 for the Digital Decade and on the Digital Europe Programme, a new €7.5 billion funding programme for the deployment of European digital projects. The event will bring together Ministers from several Member States, representatives of the European Parliament and the Commission, as well as representatives of the private sector and the civil society. They will discuss ways to promote European leadership across the areas and the 2030 targets outlined in the Commission’s Digital Decade Communication, including on digital skills, digital transformation of businesses, high-speed connectivity and secure and sustainable digital infrastructure, as well as digitisation of public services. The discussions will also focus on how European values and rights can best be promoted and protected in the digital world. On the first day of the Digital Assembly, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will present the preparations for a joint inter-institutional Declaration of digital rights and principles for the Digital Decade. The Prime Minister of Portugal, António Costa, will present the Lisbon Declaration, which will contribute to these preparations. The upcoming Declaration of digital rights and principles for the Digital Decade will include commitments such as ensuring access to high-quality connectivity across Europe, promoting digital skills to all citizens, and building a fair online world without discriminations. More information is available in this joint press release by the European Commission and the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the European Union.