In the European context, the delicate topic of digital transition has assumed increasing importance since the years of the European Union's birth, an importance that has been reinforced during the last great season of reforms of the various founding treaties that ended with the Lisbon Treaty. Specifically, the European institutions have recognised the growing importance of digitisation and have worked to develop appropriate policies and regulations to address the challenges and seize the opportunities offered by digital transformation. In this regard, the Juncker and Von der Leyen Commissions have placed digital at the centre of their agendas, promoting European legislation geared towards this issue.
Since the launch of the Lisbon Strategy in 2000, which laid the foundations for a digital economy and an information society for all, the EU has consistently adopted policies and initiatives to drive this change.
The Digital Single Market Regulation and the Digital Agenda for Europe were two milestones in the EU's attempt to create an integrated and competitive digital environment. The adoption of regulations on artificial intelligence, personal data protection and cybersecurity are further examples of the EU's commitment to responsible digital governance.
In addition, continuous global technological progress and the COVID-19 pandemic have made the advancement of digitisation in Europe increasingly urgent, while often highlighting the technology deficits that the EU and individual memnbers countries suffer from.
In this complex scenario, Europe has also taken a pioneering role by issuing the world's first regulation on artificial intelligence, defining compliance criteria, ethical requirements and risk assessment procedures. This regulation has had a significant impact on individual Member States, as it sets common standards that must be met by all companies and organisations operating in the European single market.
The digital transition today is a process not without its challenges. The complexity of regulations, differences between Member States and privacy and security concerns pose significant challenges. Despite this, the EU has shown a constant willingness to adapt and to be at the forefront of the digital era.
This study will explore the various EU initiatives and policies in the field of digital transition, analysing their political and social implications and assessing their impact on citizens and individual Member States.