The Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) monitors EU digital progress since 2014. As of 2023, DESI is integrated into the State of the Digital Decade report. The DESI 2022 highlights strides made in digitalization amid the pandemic while emphasizing challenges in skills and infrastructure. EU’s EUR 127 billion investment and the WiD Scoreboard are key components supporting transformation and gender inclusion in the digital space.
The Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) has been a critical tool for monitoring Europe’s digital progress from 2014 to 2022. The European Commission uses DESI reports to evaluate digital advancements among EU Member States. As of 2023, DESI findings are incorporated into the State of the Digital Decade report, aligning with the Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030 to oversee digital target achievements.
The DESI 2022 report, primarily based on data from 2021, highlights the digital progress made during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although EU Member States have enhanced their digital initiatives, challenges remain in bridging gaps in digital skills, facilitating SMEs’ digital transformation, and deploying advanced 5G networks.
To support digital transformation, the EU allocated EUR 127 billion for reforms and investments through national Recovery and Resilience Plans, presenting an exceptional opportunity to speed up digitalization, boost resilience, and lessen external dependencies. Member States committed an average of 26% of their Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) funds to digital efforts, exceeding the mandated 20% threshold. Highlights include Austria, Germany, Luxembourg, Ireland, and Lithuania, which invested over 30% of their RRF allocations in digital initiatives.
The Women in Digital (WiD) Scoreboard is an important action aimed at evaluating women’s involvement in digital careers and entrepreneurship. It measures Member States’ performance using 12 indicators assessing Internet usage, digital skills, and employment opportunities for women in digital fields.
The DESI serves as a vital instrument for tracking digital advancements in Europe, reflecting both progress and areas needing improvement. The substantial EU investment in digital transformation through the Recovery and Resilience Plans provides a crucial opportunity to accelerate initiatives while also addressing the gender gap in digital jobs through the Women in Digital Scoreboard.
Original Source: digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu
