EIT Digital and EU Commission’s DG CONNECT sign agreement on close collaboration

EIT Digital and the European Commission's Directorate General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology signed on 29 April a Letter of Intent towards collaboration in support of Europe's digital transformation. 

Both partners recognise the common objective to contribute to Europe's digital transformation and emphasise their mutual support to build a strong digital Europe that fosters inclusive, fair and sustainable growth. 

"I welcome our joint commitment to serve the needs of the European digital community for the benefit of Europe's economy and society," comments EIT Digital CEO Willem Jonker. "The EU's Digital Compass has given us a clear direction and this collaboration is an important instrument to achieve the ambitious goals of the European Digital Decade. EIT Digital is more than ready to play an important part in its realisation." 

The partners may cooperate in activities covering areas like digital infrastructure, IoT, Cloud Computing, Big Data and Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Privacy and Trust, but also Quantum computing, photonics and optical computing. Other areas of potential collaboration include education & digital skills, the support for European digital innovation ecosystems, enhanced inclusiveness and gender balance in digital, start-up support, and strategic priority areas like smart and digital cities, digital healthcare and wellbeing, and not at last the digital transformation of the finance sector. 

"Over the coming decade, large parts of our economy and society will be reinvented due to the broad deployment of digital technologies like artificial intelligence, robotization, high performance computing and next generation networks. This digital transformation will be a key and indispensable enabler of long-term smart, sustainable and inclusive growth in Europe," emphasised Willem Jonker 

As a starting point, EIT Digital and DG CONNECT will continue their on-going collaboration activities and intend, based on lessons learnt and best practice, to gradually extend the scope of co-operation and to refine its methods and tools. This process should start in the first half of 2021.