Proposals and Topics

· Access to digital infrastructure
· Digital literacy and skills that empower people
· Safe and trustworthy digital society-cyber security and disinformation
· Safe and trustworthy digital society-data protection
· Digital innovation to strengthen the social and sustainable economy

All Europeans should have access to digital solutions: Equal access to the internet is a fundamental right of every European citizen. The Conference Plenary sees investing in high-quality and innovative European digital infrastructure as a basis for successful digital transformation. This includes ensuring fast, affordable, secure and stable internet access everywhere in the EU and developing 5G and 6G networks. The EU has to avoid vendor lock-in and make sure all people have in practice access to the internet as well as hardware. European digital services should also become interoperable and strive for sustainable green solutions.

Digital skills key for successful digital transformation: The proposals emphasise that the EU has to ensure that all European citizens from all age groups can benefit from digitalisation, by empowering them with the necessary digital skills and opportunities, including ensuring access to formal and non-formal digital literacy and skills trainings and education. The Plenary proposes creating EU level standard programmes and curricula concerning the risks and opportunities of the internet, online rights of users and the netiquette. Additional EU certification relating to digital skills would aid young people in their future careers. The suggested measures include also developing more training initiatives to retrain and upskill workers to remain competitive in the job market.

Safe and trustworthy digital society - cyber security and disinformation: The EU should ensure effective and swift implementation of existing legislation and have more powers to enhance cyber security in order to have a safe, resilient and trustworthy digital society. Strengthening capacities of Europol/European Cybercrime Center, building up joint European cyber defence capabilities against large-scale attacks, and ensuring resilient infrastructure and alternative communication channels in case of black-outs, are a few concrete measures proposed. On disinformation, enhancing digital literacy and critical thinking is key, additionally to legislation and guidelines for online platforms and social media companies to address disinformation vulnerabilities and implementing transparency measures. Human oversight and control of decision-making processes in using AI and algorithms is needed.

Data sovereignty: Proposals aim to provide people with better control over their own data, to increase awareness over and better enforce existing data protection rules in the EU. GDPR needs to better implemented, including by non-EU companies, while not creating additional burdens for SMEs. Users need clear information on how their data is used and by whom. Requests for permanent deletion of data need to be followed through in a timely manner. If companies do not comply with rules on data protection, sanctions proportionate to their turnover must be applied. Citizens need to be helped if they encounter issues with opt-outs, while EU-wide rules on ending intrusive behavior, revoking data access and sanctioning fraudsters are needed.

Digital innovation for a sustainable economy: human-centric approach: Measures to strengthen the economy and the single market through digitalisation include introducing a "human-centric" approach to working by ensuring a right to disconnect. EU companies need incentives to be socially responsive and keep high quality jobs in Europe. There should be human oversight when AI is used in the work place and transparency of algorithms. The potentials of a trustworthy and responsible AI, as well as blockchain technology and cloud services need to be fully exploited. Additional support for remote work is needed through reliable and fast internet, digital training and ergonomic office equipment for home. SMEs and start-ups need fair access to funding and fewer legal burdens to help pursue cross-border activities. Businesses need access to secure data, while the digitisation of public services needs to be encouraged. The Conference Plenary also supports introducing a European common digital identity, promoting open source software in education and creating a European app for information on consumption and nutrition products.