In 2021 the European Union launched the Digital Decade policy program to guarantee digital sovereignty by 2030, based on four key pillars: digital infrastructure, digital skills, digital public services and digital transformation of companies.
With 2025 as the midpoint of the programme, a data report has been published to assess progress. Based on the latest available EU open datasets, it analyses progress on three of the four pillars of the Digital Decade:
- Digital public services: citizen-oriented services, also known as e-government
- Digital skills: a prerequisite for meaningful participation in the digital age
- Digital infrastructure: measurement through connectivity indicators such as 5G and broadband
Are digital public services up to par?
Citizens interact with government every day through services such as filing their income tax returns or accessing social benefits. To drive the digital transition, the EU has set targets for these services to be available online efficiently and at a high level of quality, ensuring that they are easy to use, secure and inclusive.
As part of the Digital Decade plan, the EU aims for 100% online availability of key public services for citizens and businesses by 2030.
Overall, digital public services are maturing across the EU, advancing faster than other pillars of the Digital Decade. However, further progress is increasingly complex, and reducing disparities between Member States will be key to achieving the 2030 goals.
Do Europeans have the digital skills they need to thrive?
Access means little without the skills needed to use digital tools effectively. Digital literacy is essential for accessing services, participating in civic life, finding employment and pursuing lifelong learning. Open data plays a key role in tracking progress towards these goals, showing where digital skills are being developed and where more support is needed.
The data analysis shows that slow progress in basic digital skills risks excluding a significant part of the population from essential services and employment opportunities. These trends highlight the growing need to invest in digital skills, which also representa an opportunity to strengthen the EU's global competitiveness.
Conclusions of the study
Halfway through the Digital Decade, Europe's digital transformation is measurable and open data makes this progress visible. By tracking selected indicators, this article highlights where momentum is strong and critical gaps persist.
Digital infrastructure and digital public services are advancing steadily, laying the foundation for a more inclusive digital society. For example, access to electronic health records is on track to reach its target ahead of schedule. On the other hand, digital skills remain the biggest obstacle and threaten to undermine advances in infrastructure and services. Without people being empowered to use these tools, the digital transformation will be incomplete.
To stay on track towards 2030, targeted investment and policy focus need to close the most important gaps. The good news? These findings are drawn from open datasets and studies that anyone can access, meaning that Europe's digital transition is not only measurable, but also a shared responsibility. By openly assessing progress on each pillar, stakeholders caneresHealth at all levels can identify where to act and ensure that the 2030 vision is achieved.
