During the plenary session (26-29 April 2021) in the European Parliament in Brussels, MEPs debate on Digital Europe programme: extracts from the statements by Valter FLEGO (Renew, HR), Virginijus SINKEVIČIUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Pilar del CASTILLO VERA (EPP, ES), Carlos ZORRINHO (S&D, PT), and Susana SOLÍS PÉREZ (Renew, ES).

Brussels

statement

debate

plenary session

del CASTILLO VERA, Pilar (EPP, ES)

ZORRINHO, Carlos (S&D, PT)

FLEGO, Valter (Renew, HR)

SOLÍS PÉREZ, Susana (Renew, ES)

SINKEVIČIUS, Virginijus (LT, EC)

digital Europe programme 2021-2027 (T)

Digital Europe programme: extracts from the debate

Title: Digital Europe programme: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (Croatian), Valter FLEGO (Renew, HR), MEP 9th parliamentary term, Digital revolution is fast and irreversible. At the same time, the negative effects of COVID-19 will be very hard and this is why the digital industry can play a decisive role in increasing the resilience of Europe and to increase the well-being of citizens and protect their jobs. The digital revolution will enable us to base jobs on the scientific discoveries and this is the main goal of this mandate of this decade.

SOUNDBITE (Croatian), Valter FLEGO (Renew, HR), MEP 9th parliamentary term, We want to strengthen the trust of citizens in digital technologies by also protecting their privacy, safety and their rights, and also by increasing the transparency and the speed of services providing digital. Europe wants to contribute to achieve Europe's digital independence and increase against competitiveness in the world. But we have also to think of new generations, new processes and new jobs. The Digital Europe programme will contribute to do that in the future.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVI&#268;IUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, The ambition is to pursue digital policies that empower people and businesses to seise a human centred, sustainable and more prosperous digital future. This requires setting the right regulatory framework for the digital space, and we are working closely with the Parliament on this, but also accelerating investments in our digital capabilities. The Digital Europe programme will be one of the core EU instruments to achieve the digital decade. Let me underline it will be the first ever EU programme entirely dedicated to digital.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVI&#268;IUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, The COVID crisis has demonstrated how crucial digital technologies and skills are for all of us to work, to study and to do business across our single market. The pandemic has also exposed Europe's vulnerabilities and where we need to get better. It has only accelerated the need for a programme such as Digital Europe that will enable us today to deploy digital capacities and strengthen our resilience. It will fill the deployment gap in digital technologies to make sure that the fruits of research and innovation investment get successfully deployed throughout Europe and benefit all our businesses, notably SMEs.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVI&#268;IUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Digital Europe will provide funding for projects in five crucial areas. Supercomputing, artificial intelligence, cyber security, advanced digital skills, and ensuring the wide use of digital technologies across the economy and society. These investments will support the union's twin objectives of a green transition and digital transformation and strengthen the union's resilience.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Pilar del CASTILLO VERA (EPP, ES), MEP 6 - 9th parliamentary terms, This digital programme is going to benefit all our economic sectors, but also feed into research and universities and many other sectors. I would like to focus on SMEs because they're going to have digital infrastructure and supercomputers made available? and this will allow them to process data in a way that will allow them to harness technologies that are key. I'm thinking of technologies such as artificial intelligence.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese), Carlos ZORRINHO (S&amp;D, PT), MEP 8 - 9th parliamentary terms, The Parliament has managed to improve the delivery model of the programme that can now be decentralised investments, networks of investments. There is flexible governments and there are stronger links between this programme and the RRF (Recovery and Resilience Facility) plan, 20 percent of which should go to the digital transition, making our digital approach stronger at various levels and thereby contributing to territorial and digital cohesion. The programme is fully in line with the Green Deal and biodiversity commitments.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Susana SOL&#205;S P&#201;REZ (Renew, ES), MEP 9th parliamentary term, The EU needs a lot of investment in Asia, supercomputers and cybersecurity, as well as data centres so that we don't lag behind the US and China. We also need to invest in connectivity. 5G has to be in rural areas so that they don't empty out of people. We have to make sure that air SMEs, whether it's a car garage or a workshop in the neighbourhood, can benefit from this. And that's why we have to invest in people. We have to give all workers the necessary skills and make sure that we can fill all the empty jobs that are unfilled now to our young people and older people. So that we can really be ready for a more digital future.

SOUNDBITE (English), Virginijus SINKEVI&#268;IUS, European Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Next week, Commissioner will present an update of our industrial strategy winand with an assessment of our strategic dependencies. The Digital Europe programme will be Central Point of gravity for developing key digital projects across the single market and an important source of funding. I believe we are fully equipped and ready to engage in this digital journey and to start this ambitious digital Europe programme.

Illustrations Digital Europe, artifical intelligence, ... (10 shots) 