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EUROPEAN
COMMISSION
HIGH REPRESENTATIVE
OF THE UNION FOR
FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND
SECURITY POLICY
Brussels, 5.6.2025
JOIN(2025) 140 final
JOINT COMMUNICATION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE
COUNCIL
An International Digital Strategy for the European Union
EN
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An International Digital Strategy for the European Union
The digital and Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution is reshaping economies and societies in
Europe and across the world. Economic players and countries that are able to master them do
not only gain a decisive economic edge in terms of competitiveness and efficiency but can also
use these technologies to strengthen their national defence and security, as well as ensure they
are aligned with the core values of their society. Conversely, those who are late in embracing
them risk lagging behind economically and undermining their sovereignty.
In such context, the EU is determined to boost its tech competitiveness and innovation capacity
while working with partners and allies to support their own digital transition. No country or
region can tackle the digital and AI revolution alone. The EU remains committed to the rules-
based global order and to the defence of its fundamental values.
For the EU’s competitiveness, economic security and defence capacity, it is crucial to closely
cooperate with our partners and tech allies to enhance the ability of European tech companies
to innovate and grow globally. Concerted EU efforts are necessary to ensure that global digital
governance supports EU interests and fundamental values.
This strategy sets out the basis on which the EU will address these objectives, working in a
joined-up way.
1. D
IGITAL AS A CORE ELEMENT OF THE
EU’
S EXTERNAL ACTION
At the current geopolitical juncture, the EU remains a reliable and predictable partner,
committed to strengthening its existing relations with allies globally, and forging new mutually
beneficial partnerships with those willing to work towards shared objectives. The EU’s support
to the rules-based global order, aligned with the values of democracy, rule of law and
fundamental rights, is steadfast.
The EU’s growing network of bilateral and regional partnerships allows the EU to be stronger
on the world stage, building coalitions in pursuit of shared objectives in key international fora
and organisations. From shaping norms in multilateral fora to deepening bilateral partnerships,
the EU aims to make progress on concrete and immediate priorities, protecting and promoting
the EU’s strategic interests.
1
As emphasised by the Draghi report
2
, the increasing productivity gap between the EU and the
United States since the mid-1990s is largely explained by the superior ability of the US to
innovate, scale-up globally and succeed in the tech sector. The EU also faces the risk of
weaponisation of its technological and economic dependencies and the risk of critical
technology leakage. As outlined in the ProtectEU Strategy
3
, the lines between offline and online
1
2
3
See the
Conclusions
of the European Council, 17
th
April 2024: “The
European Council also highlights the need
to strengthen the EU’s leadership in global digital affairs and invites the Commission and the High
Representative to prepare a joint communication on the subject”
(p. 10)
The future of European competitiveness: Report by Mario Draghi (2024)
Communication on ProtectEU: a
European Internal Security Strategy,
COM(2025) 148
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threats are increasingly blurred and the EU needs to cooperate better with its partners to combat
the misuse of technologies.
In boosting its tech competitiveness and innovation capacity, as set out in the EU’s
Competitiveness Compass
4
, the EU can build on several strengths. The EU has a large and
integrated digital single market and is the global leader in the import and export of digitally
delivered services
5
. It hosts world-leading tech companies and has an increasing number of tech
start-ups
6
. It can draw on world-class research and innovation and has the capacity to provide
integrated technology solutions to partner countries seeking to uphold their digital sovereignty
and to implement a human-centric digital transformation.
As part of its Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030
7
, the EU aims to boost investment in
connectivity infrastructure, skills, and research
8
, and create more favourable conditions for EU
disruptive start-ups to emerge and scale up. As technologies such as AI, semiconductors, cloud
and quantum computing are fundamentally changing the industrial as well as defence and
security landscape, Europe needs an industry capable of designing, developing, manufacturing
and delivering these technologies and products faster and at scale.
An increasingly active
Digital Diplomacy
has built on these strong domestic foundations to
advance our international priorities and to build partnerships
9
. Investments and initiatives
launched under the
Global Gateway,
including in enlargement and neighbourhood countries,
notably the EU Growth Plans, demonstrate the strategic importance of the digital sector from a
geopolitical, security and economic point of view.
Building on the EU’s strengths and internal policies and actions, the International Digital
Strategy for the European Union will therefore focus on the following objectives:
a)
Boost the EU’s tech competitiveness through economic and business cooperation.
The
EU will continue to cooperate with trusted partners to reinforce EU leadership in emerging
tech, including through research and innovation and by attracting foreign investments and
talents; use its international tools to develop and promote EU technology solutions
worldwide; and expand its growing network of digital trade agreements
b)
Promote a high level of security for the EU and its partners.
In line with existing
commitments
10
, the EU will continue to strengthen its cybersecurity and cyber defence,
particularly of key critical infrastructures; enhance the security of research while enhancing
research in security-related fields; tackle hybrid threats and foreign information
manipulation and interference; enhance the resilience, security, and stability of ICT supply
chains, including beyond its borders; tackle cybercrime through joint operations
11
,
including through bilateral and multilateral cooperation; and promote trusted suppliers of
digital technologies, including in dual-use technologies such as AI and quantum.
c)
Shape global digital governance and standards with a network of partners.
The EU
will continue to promote its values-based approach on digital governance and digital
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Communication on a Competitiveness Compass for the EU, COM(2025) 30 final
See source
WTO
COM(2025) 217 of 28/05/2025 – ‘EU startup and scale-up Strategy’
See the full
Digital Decade Policy Programme
As outlined in the Communication on the Union of Skills COM(2025) 90 final
As outlined by the Foreign Affairs
Council Conclusions on Digital Diplomacy
in June 2023
The
Protect EU Strategy
((COM)2025 148),
Joint White Paper for European Defence Readiness 2030,
Preparedness Union Strategy
(JOIN(2025) 130),
Strategic Compass
(7371/22)
For example:
Europol
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standards to shape a global digital transformation that is human-centric, trustworthy, and
respects human rights and fundamental freedoms. By acting decisively, the EU can be a
driving force of responsibly guided technological advancement on the global stage.
2. S
CALING THE
EU’
S GLOBAL NETWORK OF PARTNERS
The EU has developed strong
regional and bilateral digital cooperation with partners
through Ministerial-level Trade and Technology Councils
12
and Digital Partnerships
13
, as well
as Digital Dialogues
14
. It maintains Cyber Dialogues with a wide range of partners
15
, and digital
issues are an increasingly important feature of the tailor-made Comprehensive and Strategic
Partnerships
16
.
In addition, digital cooperation also builds on the association of partner countries to key EU
programmes, notably Horizon Europe
17
and the Digital Europe Programme
18
for advanced
research and innovation cooperation and the deployment of digital technologies.
Advancing the harmonisation of key digital transformation policies, investing in secure digital
connectivity and boosting innovation are also at the heart of the EU’s cooperation with
enlargement and neighbourhood countries,
via instruments such as Deep and
Comprehensive Free Trade Agreements or Stabilisation and Association Agreements. These
trade agreements and other related instruments such as the Growth Plans for the Western
Balkans
19
, the Reform and Growth Facility for Moldova
20
and the Ukraine Facility
21
set a
strategic basis for the gradual integration of candidate countries into the Digital Single Market
22
.
The EU is developing a
New Pact for the Mediterranean
with partners of the Southern
Neighbourhood, building on the 2021 Agenda for the Mediterranean, to deepen our political
engagement and strengthen cooperation in areas of mutual interest, notably in the digital
domain.
The EU is continuously expanding its network of
free trade agreements
23
and digital trade
agreements
24
. Among others, these set high-standard digital trade rules that ensure a secure and
safe online environment for consumers, bring transparency, predictability and legal certainty
for companies, and prevent or remove unjustified barriers to digital trade including for cross-
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
With the U.S. and India
With Japan, the Republic of Korea, Singapore and Canada
With Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Australia and the Western Balkans
India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Brazil, United States, Ukraine and the United Kingdom
With partners such as Tunisia, Egypt or Jordan
Nineteen countries are currently associated to Horizon Europe – listed
here.
In addition, Switzerland, the
Republic of Korea and Egypt are expected to become associated in 2025, whereas association negotiations are
progressing with Japan
Countries associated to DEP are listed
here
Communication new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, COM(2023) 691
See more information on the
Growth Facility for Moldova
Ukraine Facility - European Commission
For example, following the transposition of the relevant EU acquis, Ukraine and Moldova are on their path to
be granted mutual internal market treatment for roaming
Free Trade Agreements with comprehensive digital trade chapters have been concluded with the United
Kingdom, New Zealand and Chile, and are ongoing with India, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines and Malaysia
Signature of the EU-Singapore Digital Trade Agreement took place on 7 May 2025. Negotiations for the Digital
Trade Agreement with Korea were concluded March 2025. Rules on cross-border data flows with Japan,
complementing the EU-Japan Free Trade Agreement, entered into force in July 2024.
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border data flows. Furthermore, the Commission liaises with other leading regulators and
enforcers, building new networks on digital services and AI.
The Global Gateway strategy offers the opportunity to advance partnerships, policy dialogues,
and investments with countries around the world, including through the EU-Latin America and
Caribbean Digital Alliance
25
, the administrative arrangement with Smart Africa
26
, the Team
Europe Central Asia initiative
27
, and Digital Economy Packages with partners in Africa, Asia
and Latin America
28
, including with Least Developed Countries. The Clean Trade and
Investment Partnerships
29
allow the EU to address the links between digital issues, trade and
clean tech.
There is a growing appetite across the world for digital cooperation with the EU, and the current
global landscape calls for new, deeper, and more flexible forms of cooperation to nurture
mutually beneficial partnerships, which recognise the advances made by many of our partners
across the digital arena, from digitising government services to facilitating electronic payments,
from supporting citizens’ rights to developing local resilience. The EU will keep seeking
cooperation – not only with long-time like-minded partners, but with any country with which
we share common objectives.
Faced with the need to accelerate its digital transformation in a more challenging geopolitical
context, the EU will therefore scale its global network of partners in four directions:
1)
Deepening
its existing Digital Partnerships and Dialogues, to
advance cooperation in
key areas,
such as research and innovation, industrial and policy cooperation on
emerging tech, transparency and resilience of global supply chains, security and
sustainability of digital infrastructure, AI deployment and innovation, with a focus on
mutual economic benefits and enhancing economic security. The EU will propose a
more significant integration of additional priorities into these partnerships, such as
cybersecurity, research security, sensitive technology protection, and aspects related to
dual-use technologies. It will continue engaging in advanced regulatory cooperation.
Deepening the Digital Partnerships and Dialogues will also involve providing an
enhanced role for businesses from the EU and partner countries, stimulating business-
to-business and business-to-government cooperation and focusing on investment
opportunities.
2)
Broadening
the existing cooperation network, with the establishment of
new Digital
Partnerships and Dialogues
and expanding the network of
digital trade agreements.
Priority partners will be determined building on the EU’s priorities and existing bilateral
and regional cooperation at EU and Member State level. Under the Global Gateway, the
EU will work to increase European investments in partner countries, linking the EU
with centres of digital growth and contributing to the EU’s economic security.
3)
Connecting
these partnerships to
operate as a network.
As the network of partnerships
expands, so does the opportunity to work together in pursuit of shared interests.
Likewise, cooperation is increasingly necessary as we face common challenges.
25
26
27
28
29
https://international-partnerships.ec.europa.eu/policies/global-gateway/eu-latin-america-and-caribbean-
digital-alliance_en
https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/news/eu-and-africa-strengthen-cooperation-digital-transformation
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/pl/ip_22_6963
Since 2022 the EU has launched Digital Economy Packages in Nigeria, Colombia, the Democratic Republic
of Congo, Kenya and the Philippines.
https://commission.europa.eu/topics/eu-competitiveness/clean-industrial-deal_en
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Cooperation could take the form of regular technical exchanges on common issues (e.g.
emerging tech, secure and trusted connectivity, standardisation or regulatory
cooperation), the preparation of joint projects (e.g. research and innovation cooperation,
interoperability pilots, joint projects in third countries), and the organisation of a
network, involving high-level representatives from EU partners, the EU and EU
Member States.
4)
Strengthening
Security
& Defence Partnerships
30
as regards digital issues, given the
increasing importance of advanced digital infrastructure and technologies. Leveraging
investment into dual use advanced technological capabilities and promoting the EU
security and defence tech industry as a central partner and driver of innovation in AI,
quantum and other emerging technologies are among the priorities in this area.
The EU sees the development of AI as fundamental for the future of humanity. It cannot be
reduced to the quest for supremacy among advanced AI powers. In response, the EU will
continue to promote its open and collaborative model of developing trustworthy AI, which is
based on participation of researchers and the private sector in ‘AI Factories’. In this regard,
cooperation with like-minded partners and allies which share our respect for the rule of law and
fundamental and democratic values, will be crucial.
Examples of forthcoming actions:
•
Preparation of potential
new Digital Partnerships and Dialogues,
in a Team Europe
approach, ensuring close cooperation with Member States, industry, stakeholders and
partner countries, including in the context of the EU cooperation with neighbourhood
countries.
Establishment of a
Digital Partnership Network,
involving the EU’s partners, the EU and
its Member States.
Close cooperation to promote
synergies between Digital Partnerships
and the technology-
related issues of the EU’s
Security and Defence Partnerships.
Expansion of the network of
Digital Trade Agreements
and continuation of negotiations
of
Free Trade Agreements including on digital trade.
•
•
•
3. T
HE
EU T
ECH
B
USINESS
O
FFER
To engage with a broader set of trusted partners, the EU will develop an integrated
Tech
Business Offer.
Such a comprehensive Offer will support the deployment of secure and trusted
connectivity, Digital Public Infrastructure, AI and software solutions, and beyond. The
objective will be to tailor and combine technology components in a modular approach –
balancing the interests of partner countries and the EU, in order to create
a package of mutual
benefits.
This will be complemented with capacity-building and measures to bridge the global
talent gap, coordinating training efforts on digital skills with international partners. The EU will
actively promote digital solutions enabling more energy- and resource-efficient manufacturing,
services and other applications.
The Tech Business Offer will be managed jointly by the EU and its Member States in a ‘Tech
Team Europe’
approach, closely involving EU companies
31
, EU Development Finance
30
31
The EU has secured such partnerships with the United Kingdom, Norway, Moldova, South Korea, Japan,
Albania and North Macedonia.
Including through the
Global Gateway Business Advisory Group
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Institutions and Export Credit Agencies, with a strong facilitator role by the
D4D Hub
32
and
the EU4Digital
33
umbrella initiative. The Offer will build on existing external financing tools
and investments by the private sector. It will be essential to coordinate investments through the
different programmes, between public and private sector and to continue improving the
business environment. This will be done in close cooperation with EU Delegations and national
Embassies, for example via the
Informal Digital Hubs,
which the EU has established in a
number of partner countries
34
to promote Team Europe cooperation. In countries with which
strategic partnerships have been concluded or are being negotiated, the Offer will be integrated
in the existing or negotiated partnership framework.
4. P
RIORITY AREAS OF COOPERATION WITH PARTNER COUNTRIES
Cooperation with partner countries will cover the following areas:
Secure and trusted digital infrastructure
The security and resilience of digital networks and infrastructures are essential to enable
developments in critical sectors such as energy, transport, finance and health. While the EU has
already demonstrated leadership in this area, work will continue, by drawing on instruments
such as
the 5G Toolbox
35
, to assist partner countries who are equally concerned about the need
to build their digital economy on secure foundations. In line with the recent Communication to
strengthen the security and resilience of submarine cables
36
, this approach could be extended
to submarine cables and other critical digital infrastructure. This could be the subject of an
annual conference to deepen technical contacts and understanding on opportunities and security
requirements for future routes, partnerships, and financing, feeding into the Global Gateway
process.
The EU will promote the deployment of secure digital connectivity and sustainable
infrastructure worldwide – in particular secure and trusted 5G networks, submarine and
terrestrial cables, satellite connectivity, Internet infrastructure, supercomputers and data
centres. The EU will also work to support its partners’ resilience through diversification and
integration of networks, including through satellite connectivity and other forms of non-
terrestrial networks. The EU will seek to develop a network of secure
37
submarine and terrestrial
communication cables connecting the EU with partner countries, as well as sovereign and
resilient space connectivity. This should support the EU’s role as an international hub capable
of hosting data and computing capacities in a resilient and reliable space, tapping the
opportunities of the data economy, and attracting investments in sustainable data centres,
computing and AI capacities. In cooperation with partner countries, the EU will actively seek
to support digital solutions enabling more energy- and resource-efficient manufacturing,
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33
34
35
36
37
The
Digital for Development (D4D) Hub
is a platform that aims to strengthen digital cooperation and
coordination between the European Union and its Member States and partners in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin
America and the Caribbean, and EU neighbouring countries.
The EU4Digital umbrella initiative pools together EU funded programmes aimed at extending the benefits of
the Digital Single Market to the
Eastern Partnership
countries and to the Western Balkans.
Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Colombia, Brazil.
Cybersecurity of 5G networks - EU Toolbox of risk mitigating measures
Joint Communication on EU Action Plan on Cable Security,
JOIN(2025) 9 final
In line with the
Commission Recommendation on Secure and Resilient Submarine Cable Infrastructures,
C
(2024) 1181, and the
Joint Communication to strengthen the security and resilience of submarine cables,
JOIN(2025) 9.
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services and other applications, reducing the carbon footprint as well as facilitating climate
adaptation and resilience.
Examples of forthcoming actions in the field of
secure connectivity:
•
Arctic connectivity
is a strategic priority for the EU. The EU will work with partners
to boost support for projects that advance new submarine cable routes in the region,
by making use of the Connecting Europe Facility to catalyse public and private
investments.
A key element of
Global Gateway
investment in the digital sector is a network of
strategic submarine communication cable infrastructure projects to provide secure
and resilient links between the EU and partner countries. Investments include:
1)
BELLA,
the first transatlantic optical fibre cable between the EU and Latin
America and the Caribbean, which connects Latin-American research institutes,
provides fast access to Earth Observation data from the Copernicus component of
the EU’s Space Programme. It will be further extended across Central America
and the Caribbean and will support the growth of High-Performance Computing
in the region.
2) The
MEDUSA
submarine cable, supported by the European Commission and
EIB Global, will provide high-speed connectivity between the northern and
southern shores of the Mediterranean and will be extended to West Africa.
3)
Blue-Raman
consists of a planned 11,700km secure submarine cable system
connecting Europe to India, with landings in the Middle East and Eastern Africa,
along the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). With its strong
connectivity dimension linking Europe and India via the Gulf region, it will
facilitate the exchange of data and increase cooperation with partner countries.
•
The EU’s Black Sea strategy recognises the
Black Sea
as a key gateway linking
Europe to the South Caucasus, Central Asia, and beyond. To increase connectivity
and trade with the
Eastern Partnership
region, the EU will support targeted
investments in digital infrastructure, with the development of Black Sea digital links
aiming at creating secure, high-capacity internet connection, when conditions allow.
The
Central Asia Team Europe Initiative
will provide enhanced secure
connectivity, primarily to unserved and underserved areas in Central Asia, via
satellite provided by the EU private sector.
IRIS²,
the new secure satellite-based connectivity component of the EU’s Space
programme, will provide global coverage when the entire constellation will have been
deployed. At an early stage, it will set up pilot projects in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The
EU-ASEAN Sustainable Connectivity Team Europe Initiative
under the
Global Gateway includes a digital component promoting the expansion of the
Copernicus mirror site in the Philippines to further countries in ASEAN, including
Indonesia and Thailand.
•
•
•
•
Emerging technologies
•
Artificial Intelligence:
As outlined in the AI Continent Action Plan
38
, the EU will continue
to engage bilaterally, regionally and multilaterally with trusted partners to attract
Communication on an AI Action Plan,
COM(2025)165
38
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•
•
•
investments in the EU, support the establishment of a global level playing field for
trustworthy AI, and to promote the good governance of AI globally. The EU will also act
decisively to establish itself as a frontrunner in applying AI to science for its own
competitiveness and to attract top scientists to Choose Europe
39
. The EU will further seek
cooperation with trusted partners, notably on innovation-related aspects of AI, such as the
deployment of AI Factories outside the EU and their connection to the network of EU AI
Factories. Such cooperation will also include providing access to AI models and algorithms,
in particular on projects relating to AI for the Public Good (e.g. tackling climate change and
supporting clean transition, improving healthcare or agriculture). This cooperation will also
leverage EU public and commercial satellite data and services to enhance AI-driven
solutions for global challenges, such as environmental monitoring and disaster response.
Given the dual-use nature of some AI applications, the EU will continue to work on the role
of Artificial Intelligence in the Common Foreign & Security Policy (CFSP) and Common
Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), working with Member States to ensure that the EU’s
CFSP and CSDP are able to profit from the technological advances of AI.
5G/6G:
The EU is the global innovation leader in advanced connectivity, such as 5G and
fixed network solutions. The objective to reach common standards for the next generation
sustainable by design (6G) requires cooperation with like-minded countries, starting with
research and innovation cooperation and standardization. The main challenge is the
development and choice of 6G technologies, notably Radio Access Network technologies,
including integration of terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks. EU industry can lead 6G
development in line with EU standards notably on cybersecurity, interoperability and
compliance with legal access standards and will benefit from cooperation with countries
having complementary strengths in the value chain, including microelectronics, devices,
cloud or AI.
Semiconductors:
Geopolitical uncertainty and the growing complexity of semiconductor
supply chains demand a tailored, country-specific approach, ensuring that the EU partners
with global leaders of the semiconductor ecosystem while safeguarding its own
technological, economic and security interests. The EU will continue engaging with
countries where collaboration in areas like pre-competitive research and development and
supply chain resilience is mutually beneficial. In line with the Economic Security strategy
40
,
the EU will also defend its economic security interests, including through bilateral, regional
and multilateral engagement, encouraging information sharing to prevent supply chain
disruptions, mitigating risks, and attracting global talents to address the skills gap in the
European semiconductor ecosystem.
Quantum technologies:
Advancing common standards and applications in quantum
technologies demands robust international collaboration, particularly in research and
innovation. The EU will strengthen ties with countries that offer complementary strengths
in the quantum technology value chain, including computing, sensing, communication,
post-quantum safe encryption, and related fields on a reciprocal basis. The EU remains
attentive to the role of quantum technologies in the future security landscape and maintains
regular contact with NATO and other relevant partners in the field. The EU will join forces
with partner countries on concrete applications of quantum technologies in sectoral policies,
for example to develop new materials.
Examples of forthcoming actions in the field of
emerging technologies:
39
40
Choose Europe: advance your research career in the EU
Communication on a European Economic Security Strategy, COM(2023) 20 final
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The EU will implement joint research and innovation projects in Quantum technologies
with
Japan, the Republic of Korea
and
Canada.
As part of the
EU-India Trade and Technology Council,
the EU and India are working
on developing a dedicated programme that will facilitate talent exchanges and foster
semiconductor skills among students and young professionals.
In the context of the EU-LAC Digital Alliance, the EU will establish a robust partnership
to federate High Performance Computing resources in
Latin America and the Caribbean
and to enhance their interoperability and integration with the European HPC ecosystem.
The EU will follow up on the commitments of the
EU-African Union Ministerial Meeting
(May 2025), to work together to develop regional innovation ecosystems, establishment of
AI strategies and digital governance frameworks.
The EU will support the deployment of
AI Factories
in trusted partner countries, supporting
them with developing their compute infrastructure while also securely connecting them to
the EU and its AI Factories ecosystem.
The EU will work with Member States to outline areas where
Artificial Intelligence
can
support the implementation of the Common Foreign & Security Policy and Common
Security and Defence Policy.
The EU will continue to support
defence innovation
through the
EU Defence Innovation
Scheme (EUDIS)
and will explore ways to enhance collaboration with Ukraine in this
domain.
The EU will, in close dialogue with trusted partners such as Norway and Ukraine, explore
new ways for supporting synergies with the Hub for European Defence Innovation (HEDI).
Cybersecurity
In today’s hyper-connected world and evolving geopolitical landscape, cyber threats from state
and non-state actors do not stop at the borders. A cyber-attack or incident in one country can
cripple businesses and infrastructure worldwide, and our citizens and businesses rely on digital
products and solutions from third countries. Strengthening cybersecurity and cyber defence,
including the capacity to detect, prepare for and response to cybersecurity threats and incidents,
and enhancing information sharing on cyber threats with international partners to improve
response time and resilience, is a direct investment in the EU’s own security. Nowhere is this
truer than in the EU’s neighbourhood, where the EU is fully committed to supporting
enlargement countries to ramp up their cybersecurity and cyber defence capabilities.
The EU also has the tools to lead at a global scale on cybersecurity. With the Cyber Resilience
Act
41
, the EU is setting a new standard for secure-by-design products. As countries worldwide
seek to secure their supply chains, the EU’s expertise in product security offers a powerful
foundation for international partnerships. In a similar vein, as the EU’s global partners are
investing into securing their critical infrastructures, market opportunities arise in areas where
the EU has strong European industrial leadership such as cryptography and highly secure digital
products.
With its strong impact on businesses and hospitals, ransomware remains a global scourge, one
that no single country can combat alone. In line with the ProtectEU Strategy, the EU will push
for stronger international cooperation to take down the infrastructure that ransom groups rely
41
Regulation (EU)2024 2847
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on, break their financial lifelines, ensure more efficient sanctions against perpetrators and
facilitators, and bring the cybercriminals to justice.
As part of these efforts, the EU will also promote enhanced cyber resilience in sectors
increasingly reliant on digital technologies, such as transport and smart mobility, where secure
infrastructure, data and services are essential to ensure operational continuity and public trust.
Recent efforts have ensured that candidate countries that are associated to the Digital Europe
Programme would be able to access the EU-level Cybersecurity Reserve established by the
Cyber Solidarity Act
42
. In addition, the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity, ENISA,
will continue cybersecurity cooperation with relevant third countries, including capacity
building in candidate and Neighbourhood countries.
Examples of forthcoming actions in the field of
cybersecurity:
•
•
The EU will work with relevant partners to explore the potential for
mutual recognition
agreements
regarding the Cyber Resilience Act and respective frameworks of the partners
to facilitate compliance with product cybersecurity requirements.
The EU will continue cooperating with partner countries to enhance global cyber resilience
and contribute to a free, open, safe and secure cyberspace. Firmly anchored in the Global
Gateway strategy, cybersecurity and
cyber capacity-building
support will focus on
securing critical infrastructures, and strengthening cyber ecosystems, including through the
development and implementation of relevant regulatory and policy frameworks, as well as
cyber hygiene and literacy.
At the UN and within regional security bodies, the EU will continue to promote
responsible
state behaviour in cyberspace,
based on the UN General Assembly-endorsed framework.
This includes upholding international law, adhering to globally accepted norms of state
conduct in peacetime, developing confidence-building measures, and supporting states in
building the capacity to implement these framework elements.
The EU will reinforce its attribution of
cyber-attacks
to malicious actors, including state-
based actors, and continue to develop the associated
sanctions mechanisms.
•
•
Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI)
Together with its partners, the EU will also better protect citizens from Foreign Information
Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) campaigns or other societal risks stemming from online
platforms. To do so, ensuring algorithmic transparency in how content is recommended and
moderated is essential to enhance accountability and public trust.
This is also relevant for candidate, potential candidate and neighbourhood countries, in view of
their specific vulnerabilities to disinformation and foreign interference and will in turn allow to
strengthen our mutual resilience, including democratic resilience.
Examples of forthcoming actions in the field of
FIMI:
•
Following an expansion of its work on attributing cyber-attacks to defined actors, the EU
will expand the
attribution of incidents
of FIMI.
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Regulation (EU)2021 694
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Digital identities and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)
The EU’s experience in developing open-source digital identity wallets and secure and data
protection compliant Digital Public Infrastructure offers significant value beyond EU borders.
International cooperation and mutual recognition arrangements with key partners can simplify
cross-border business for companies and facilitate citizens’ mobility. The EU will notably
continue to pursue cooperation with third countries (such as Ukraine, Moldova, the Western
Balkans, Japan, India, Egypt) to achieve seamless cross-border usage of trust services. It will
also promote the European Interoperability Framework
43
to help partner countries with
fostering administrative modernisation and cross-border digital integration, including aligning
with EU standards and practices. The EU will continue to promote the use of common
specifications and open standards to ensure interoperability, transparency, and reuse.
44
Examples of forthcoming actions in the field of secure
Digital Public Infrastructure:
•
The EU will support the development of
trust services and digital identity solutions
(based on the EU Digital Identity Wallet specifications), putting them at the core of an
interoperable and scalable suite of digital building blocks and solutions, including open-
source ones, to support the digital transformation of public administrations and businesses
of partner countries. The EU will also continue its work with Ukraine, Moldova and the
Western Balkans, to prepare for their gradual integration with the EU Digital Identity
Wallet.
The EU will be cooperating with countries such as India, Egypt, Uruguay and Brazil in the
area of
e-signatures and DPI interoperability,
with the view of creating benefits for
businesses and citizens both in the EU and in partner countries.
The EU will support an
interoperability-by-default
approach, based on the European
Interoperability Framework, to facilitate seamless exchange of data across borders.
The EU will continue to work with key international partners (Japan, India, Singapore,
Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia) to promote the EU model for
eInvoicing,
based on the
European eInvoicing standard and interoperable technical specifications.
•
•
•
Online platforms
The EU’s Digital Services Act
45
protects democracy, free speech, privacy, the safety and
security of children online, and provides a secure framework for the sale of legally compliant
goods. The Digital Markets Act
46
and EU competition policy promote the contestability of
digital markets, a level playing field and fair competition between digital players. These acts
complement the protection provided in the digital environment by the GDPR
47
and consumer
protection laws.
The protection and empowerment of minors online is a global priority. Under the Digital
Services Act, all online platforms have to ensure a high level of privacy, safety, and security of
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44
45
46
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Part of the Communication on a European Interoperability Framework – Implementation Strategy, COM(2017)
134
A relevant example is the
Data Catalogue Vocabulary Application Profile,
which has become a de facto
standard, which facilitates harmonised metadata descriptions and seamless data sharing across borders.
Regulation (EU)2022 2065 and amending Directive(2000) 31 EC (Digital Services Act) (OJ L 277,
27.10.2022).
Regulation (EU)2020 1828
Regulation (EU) 2016/679
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minors, on their service. In addition, the largest online platforms must annually assess and
mitigate any systemic risks that their services pose – including for the respect of the rights of
the child and the protection of minors more generally. The Digital Services Act is supported
and complemented by the Better Internet for Kids Strategy (BIK+). In particular, the EU co-
funds the network of hotlines in Member States to tackle the dissemination of child sexual abuse
material online. Global cooperation is ensured via the INHOPE network with 55 hotlines
operating worldwide.
Strong and consistent consumer protection across online marketplaces is another priority the
EU shares with many of its international partners and a key issue addressed by the Digital
Services Act, as well as consumer protection and product safety frameworks. Under the Digital
Services Act all online marketplaces are required to meet strong standards for safety,
transparency and accountability to ensure that illegal and unsafe products cannot be sold to EU
consumers through their services. The 2025 Communication on e-commerce
48
complements
this by setting out new actions to address challenges linked to the surge of unsafe, counterfeit
and otherwise illicit products sold through online platforms. The EU will prioritise cooperation
with partner countries and in multilateral fora to find joint solutions to common risks to
consumer safety stemming from online marketplaces.
Examples of forthcoming actions in the field of
online platforms:
•
•
The EU will continue to promote its regulatory approach and its underlying principles
bilaterally and multilaterally and share its experience in implementing them.
The EU will organise
regional events
with international organisations, third-country
legislators, regulators and civil society to promote freedom of expression and safety
online.
5. G
LOBAL DIGITAL GOVERNANCE
To advance its goals in the digital domain, the EU will continue to pursue a
multilateral and
multi-stakeholder approach
and ensure meaningful participation of relevant stakeholders
including civil society, academia and the private sector, building on the strong existing ties with
partner countries.
The EU’s Digital Partnerships and Dialogues allow for
coordination
ahead of discussion in
multilateral and regional fora, building strong coalitions in pursuit of shared objectives in key
international fora and organisations, such as the United Nations, G7, G20, OECD and the
Council of Europe, as well as global Internet Governance institutions. In particular, with G7
partners, the EU will continue to promote the development and uptake of
Economic Security
Standards
– including when relevant for digital technologies – taking into account various
criteria such as transparency, diversification of supply, security, sustainability, trustworthiness
and reliability.
The
Global Digital Compact
(GDC) of the United Nations was adopted by consensus as the
first comprehensive framework for global digital governance. It sets out the objectives,
principles, commitments and actions to develop an open, free and secure digital future for all.
The EU will remain actively involved in the GDC implementation work to defend its
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A comprehensive EU toolbox for safe and sustainable e-commerce, COM(2025) 37 final
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achievements, while ensuring non-duplication of efforts and maximizing synergies with the
existing global digital architecture, including the Internet Governance framework.
In addition to these processes, the EU will focus on
standardisation
as a key tool to advance
its goals. The EU has strengths to rely on, including a strong research and innovation base,
world-leading tech companies and many innovative SMEs and start-ups that need to be
encouraged to take part in international standards setting. By leveraging on the EU
standardisation system to increase its influence in international standards setting for key digital
technologies, the EU aims to strengthen the competitiveness of its industry, foster digital and
tech sovereignty, and protect and promote its fundamental values and interests while pursuing
international cooperation in standard setting. The EU acknowledges the important role of the
ITU in the context of global standardisation.
The EU will also continue to defend a rules-based, equitable allocation of
radiofrequencies
under the global framework of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU),
acknowledging that the radio spectrum is a scarce natural resource that underpins all wireless
digital applications.
Multilateral cooperation is also crucial to address the digital aspects of other sectors, including
the energy sector due to the rapidly increasing energy demand of AI. The EU is engaged in
international energy initiatives,
like the Clean Energy Ministerial, which develop
collaborative approaches to meet these challenges.
As digital technologies continue to evolve rapidly,
global Internet Governance
must adapt to
new geopolitical challenges, such as fragmentation risks, increased misuse of digital tools for
practices such as Internet shutdowns and censorship and widening digital divides. Moreover,
the transition towards
Web 4.0
– driven by core technologies like artificial intelligence,
extended and virtual reality, blockchain, and quantum computing – introduces new governance
complexities that require updated, effective, and inclusive multi-stakeholder frameworks. The
EU will continue to shape the inclusive multi-stakeholder approach to Internet Governance and
is committed continuously to improve its effectiveness, opposing initiatives for state-controlled
Internet architectures that could fragment and undermine the openness and security that have
characterised the Internet since the Tunis Agenda
49
.
The EU will continue to proactively defend the general availability and integrity of the Internet
as a global, interoperable network of networks, reflecting the importance of the multi-
stakeholder model of internet governance, for example in the upcoming editions of the Internet
Governance Forum (IGF) and World Summit on the Information Society 20-year review
(WSIS+20) negotiations. The EU acknowledges the central role of ICANN in managing the
foundations of the Internet architecture.
Examples of forthcoming actions in the field of
global digital governance:
•
•
The EU will work to ensure
proper
follow-up and review of the implementation of the
Global Digital Compact
(GDC) commitments.
The EU will work as Team Europe to ensure a suitable outcome to the
World Summit on
the Information Society (WSIS+20) Review
negotiations.
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Tunis agenda for the Information Society,
18 November 2005
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•
The EU will support an international extension and broadening of the
Open Internet Stack,
referring to the foundational structure of protocols that enable communication and
information sharing on the Internet, to address the needs of partner countries, including
enhancing trust and security.
6. A
COMPETITIVE AND SECURE
E
UROPE
,
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
,
CONNECTED TO THE WORLD
In a volatile world, the EU is a consistent, predictable and reliable partner. In the context of
complex tech value chains, no country or region can advance on the digital and AI revolution
alone. The EU’s internal and external efforts on digital policy are closely intertwined and
mutually-reinforcing. That is why the EU is not only boosting its own digital sector, from AI
Factories to defence tech, but is also concluding substantial partnerships that bring visible
benefits for the EU’s citizens and businesses and for our partners.
As a champion of multilateral solutions to global challenges, the EU is a steadfast supporter of
the UN, G7, G20, OECD and other bodies that enable us to tackle together the defining
challenges of our time.
The EU is ready to join forces for new, deeper, and flexible forms of cooperation nurturing
mutually beneficial partnerships, to reinforce Europe’s competitiveness and security. The EU
will continue to engage constructively based on respect for the international rules-based order.
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