The Digital Europe Programme

The EU programme for digital transition for 2021-2027 aims to ensure the broad rollout and use of digital technologies in society. Among other things, the programme will co-finance the establishment of a European network of digital innovation hubs as well as specialized centres in supercomputers, artificial intelligence and cyber security. The Agency for Digital Government is National Contact Point (NCP) for the Digital Europe Programme in Denmark.

Digital Europe: the EU Programme for Digital Transformation

The EU programme supports Europe's digital transition to the benefit of citizens and businesses. Over a seven-year period from 2021-27, the programme must ensure a broad rollout and use of digital technologies across Europe in particular supercomputers, artificial intelligence, cyber security and digital skills. The programme will also focus on using digital technologies to solve societal challenges within e.g. health, climate and environment.

In order to ensure a broad rollout and use of digital technologies by enterprises and authorities, the programme will co-finance the establishment of a European network of digital innovation hubs as well as specialized centres in supercomputers, artificial intelligence and cyber security.

Relevant actors for the programme are enterprises and public authorities that want to make better use of digital technologies. Knowledge institutions and business promoting actors are also relevant actors, especially for making test facilities available and creating collaborations and partnerships around joint digitalization projects.

The activities and projects of the Digital Europe Programme will be specified in annual work programmes setting out both means and direction for each sub-programme. The first working programmes cover activities for 2021-22, with the first project calls being launched from November 2021.

7.5 billion EUR (current prices) has been set aside to finance the activities of the programme. The programme is part of the EU's multi-annual budget for 2021-2027. The Danish Agency for Digital Government is the national contact point (NCP) for the implementation of the upcoming Digital Europe Programme.

The Digital Europe Programme contains the following five sub-programmes:

Supercomputers

The sub-programme for supercomputers aims to strengthen the development and use of high-performance computing by European enterprises and public authorities. Furthermore, the sub-programme will support the use of supercomputers for the development of solutions within e.g. health, climate and environment, through a network of national competence centres. The sub-programme will primarily be managed by the joint venture EuroHPC, in which Denmark participates.

Artificial Intelligence

The artificial intelligence sub-programme aims to strengthen investments and the use of artificial intelligence by European enterprises and public authorities. This must be done by facilitating secure access to large amounts of data in common European data spaces, as well as strengthening existing test and experimentation facilities for artificial intelligence within, among other things, healthcare, agriculture, advanced manufacturing, smart cities and transport.

Cyber security

The cyber security sub-programme aims to strengthen cyber security in both the public and private sector. It must, among other things, be done by creating a common European procurement framework for advanced cyber security technology, and the construction of a secure IT infrastructure as well as the construction of a secure quantum communication infrastructure in Europe. To do this, the program will support the establishment of cyber competence centres in each member state.

Highly Developed Digital Skills

The sub-programme for highly developed digital skills supports a number of longer and shorter education offers, internships and European platforms for skills and jobs in core digital technologies. Therefore, higher education institutions and knowledge institutions, business and employment actors as well as enterprises that wish to enter into consortia or establish master's programmes, internships or shorter courses are relevant for this sub-programme.

Broad Rollout of Digital Technologies

This sub-programme is primarily focused on the creation of a European network of digital innovation hubs, which aims to help companies apply and exploit advanced digital technologies in their business. Together with relevant actors in the business promotion system, the Agency for Digital Government has established five digital innovation hubs in Denmark under the Digital Europe Programme. The sub-programme will also support activities to promote interoperability in the public sector and thematic project calls on climate and environment, transport, agriculture, public digital services, health, security, culture and education.

Implementation of the Programme

In order to ensure solid Danish participation in the Digital Europe Programme, a reference group has been set up which contributes to clarifying Danish strengths and potentials for Danish participation in the programme as well as conveying the opportunities in the programme to Danish stakeholders.

The reference group consists of representatives from Danish ministries, agencies, business and industry organisations, research institutions and private companies with a significant professional environment.