Policymakers, researchers, and digital experts met in Brussels on 29 January to discuss the European Union’s priorities for digital policy in the coming years. The event, organised by the European University Institute (EUI) and Carnegie Europe, highlighted key recommendations from the recently published EUI Policy Report, ‘Charting the Digital and Technological Future of Europe: What Priorities for the European Commission in 2024-2029?’
Erik Jones, Director of the Robert Schuman Centre at the EUI, welcomed the participants by highlighting how unique this initiative is for the EUI, saying, “We are here to celebrate not just a tremendous intellectual contribution to the digital agenda of the European Commission, but also an important display of cross-disciplinary, cross-departmental and cross-programme work that the EUI is able to provide in exploring this new digital terrain.”
The vigorous roundtable discussion covered challenges and opportunities in areas such as geopolitics and technology, individual rights, market competition, artificial intelligence, and data governance. While in recent years the EU has introduced several ambitious digital regulations, speakers stressed the need for further action to support innovation, better and more coherent regulation, and protection of fundamental rights and democracy.
Klaudia Majcher, Research Fellow at EUI, editor of the report, and co-organiser of the event stressed the vital role of universities in fostering political and social engagement. She said, “This event successfully embodied that responsibility. By bringing together EUI researchers working on digital transformation and leading policymakers from Brussels, it facilitated an in-depth and engaging policy discussion on Europe’s most pressing digital challenges and priorities for the new mandate.”
EUI academics presented their policy recommendations put forward in the report on charting the digital and technological future of Europe, published in December 2024. The first panel focused on EU digital policy in a global context, discussing perspectives on innovation, digital sovereignty, and diplomacy. During this panel, policy insights were provided by David Ringrose, Head of Connectivity and Digital Transition Division at the European External Action Service, and Xavier Coget, Member of Cabinet of Henna Virkkunen, Exacutive Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for tech sovereignty, security and democracy. The second part of the discussion covered perspectives on AI, data, and the information environment, with policy reflections provided by Aura Salla, Member of the European Parliament, and Paul Nemitz, Principal Adviser for Strategies for Digital Transition at DG JUST, European Commission.
Commenting on the debate, EUI professor and co-organiser of the event Patryk Pawlak said, “The EU faces critical choices regarding the future of its digital society, competitiveness and the role it wants to play in the world. These decisions must be grounded in research and evidence instead of wishful thinking.”
With a new EU mandate beginning, the event provided an forum for an in-depth conversation on the steps Europe can take to foster innovation and advance human-centric digital transformation.
Explore all 22 contributions to the ‘Charting the Digital and Technological future of Europe: What Priorities for the European Commission in 2024-2029?’ report.
Watch a short interview with Klaudia Majcher.