Digital Europe: programme for EU’s digital transition
Digital technology and its infrastructure play an increasingly important role in our private and working lives, in business and public administrations. In our daily lives, we depend on the new technologies available to us. But at the same time, it is important that Europe does not become too dependent on systems and solutions from other parts of the world.
Digital Europe (sometimes stylized as DIGITAL Europe) is the name of a EU funding programme aiming to contribute to these goals. Broadly speaking, this involves five main themes:
- High Performance Computing
- Cloud, data and Artificial Intelligence
- Cybersecurity
- Advanced digital skills
- Accelerating best use of digital technologies.
DIGITAL Europe is a multiannual programme, with an overall budget of 7.5 billion euros for the period 2021-2027. It can be seen as an important complement to other European funding programmes, such as Horizon Europe (for research and innovation), the Connecting Europe Facility (the CEF’s digital infrastructure programme), and the structural funds for regional economy (ERDF).
How does the DIGITAL programme work?
Let’s start with a warning: Digital Europe is not a simple programme. Interested parties should at least be prepared to study the current Digital Europe work programmes in depth. For example, the general work programme 2023-2024, or the specific sub-programmes on Cybersecurity, Chips, High Performance Computing, or European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH). These work programmes give a good introduction to the EU policy, grants rounds and priorities. Further details are in the corresponding call rounds. In fact, submitting a grant application is only possible for projects in line with specific calls (‘calls for proposals’).
Recent calls published and about to start!
Recently, the European Health and Digital Agency (HaDEA) has published a series of new calls for proposals under the Digital Europe Programme. They relate to two of the themes mentioned earlier:
- Cloud, data and artificial intelligence. This includes calls for proposals on Data Space for Skills (budget: 3 million euros), Data Space for Manufacturing (budget: 13 million euros) and Support for Health Data Access Bodies to foster efficient pathways for AI in healthcare (budget: 4 million euros). More information can be found via the hyperlinks.
- Advanced Digital Skills. This includes a call for proposals on Digital Skills and Jobs Platform (budget: 2 million euros).
More detailed information on the above calls can be found via the hyperlinks. The submission of proposals (with grant application) for these calls is possible from 29 February until 29 May 2024 at the latest (at 17:00 Brussels time).
What can PNO do for you?
The best chances of obtaining these grants are projects by organisations that have been familiar with Digital Europe’s themes and grant calls for some time (and of course are also very familiar with the topics mentioned in the calls). Are you such a party, and do your plans align well with one of these calls? If so, we would be happy to see if PNO’s experts could be of further assistance in preparing (or optimising) your grant application! Call 0031 88 838 13 81 or send a message.
