Negotiators from the EU Parliament, the Council of Ministers and the Commission agreed on Monday on a funding program that is intended to advance the digital transformation in Europe and accelerate the upswing after the Corona crisis. It comprises a total of 7.6 billion euros and is part of the new EU budget for the years 2021 to 2027

make supercomputers more available 2.2 billion are According to the agreement, which has yet to be formally confirmed in the parliamentary plenary and in the Council, planned for the expansion of the capacities of European high-performance computing and data processing. This is intended to make particularly powerful computers more available and user-friendly, especially in the areas of health care, the environment, security and industry as well as for small and medium-sized enterprises.

For the Funding for systems and applications with artificial intelligence (AI) is planned for 2 billion euros. This is intended to expand tests in the areas of health and mobility with the key technology. Companies and public administrations should also be able to make greater use of AI. The money pot also encourages the member states to create a European data space.

1.6 billion euros are dedicated to cybersecurity in order to strengthen coordination in this area between the member states and to strengthen Europe’s capabilities and to support the use of relevant techniques and the necessary know-how throughout the economy. The planned EU competence center for cybersecurity will be responsible for this.

European digital innovation centers planned For optimal use digital capacities and the creation of interoperability are a good billion euros. The program is also expected to contribute 577 million to the training of the workforce in digital skills.

A network of European digital According to the plan, innovation centers will give companies and authorities access to technological expertise. These hubs are intended to cover all of Europe and play a central role in the implementation of the program. Grants can cover up to 100 percent of the eligible costs. The plan is for the member states and, if necessary, the private sector to co-finance measures. The corresponding approach is to be defined in multiannual work programs.

The Commission wanted the digital program to amount to 9.2 billion euros, while the Council wanted to shrink it to 6.8 billion. The IT umbrella organization Digital Europe had considered 25 billion euros to be appropriate. According to the budget, there is also the Horizon Europe research framework program, which has now landed at around 95, 5 billion euros. It ties in with the forerunner horizon 2020. There is also the “Connecting Europe” facility, which is supposed to stimulate broadband expansion with fiber optics and 5G Compromise. The digital program is therefore an important element of the economic stimulus package. Parliament’s rapporteur, Liberal Valter Flego, spoke of an important step towards the goal of “asserting Europe’s digital sovereignty”.

(mho)