Trusted partnerships at the heart of the EU’s strategic objectives? The Digital Strategy is a promising framework for strengthening Europe’s digital diplomacy.
Digital Diplomacy – the phenomenon of using digital technologies for diplomatic activities and pursuing foreign policy objectives – is becoming increasingly relevant for countries to achieve their strategic objectives in the rapidly changing geopolitical environment. Europe, too, has increasingly pursued this new form of diplomacy in an effort to achieve the Commission’s goals of competitiveness and security.
A joint communication, released on 5 June, to the European Parliament and the Council on an International Digital Strategy is the most recent development to further integrate digital issues and emerging technologies in the EU’s foreign policy, as well as promoting the Team Europe approach. Building on the 2023 Council conclusions on EU digital diplomacy, which emphasised the importance of a human-centric approach to the digital transition, the new Strategy places a greater focus on the EU’s strategic interests. In the context of digital technologies, defence, and security becoming increasingly intertwined, boosting tech competitiveness and innovation capacity is crucial for the EU to protect its economic security and sovereignty – the digital realm cannot be addressed in isolation and must be considered in all of the EU’s work. The Commission recognises that achieving its strategic priorities relies on global engagement and trusted partnerships; digital diplomacy is key and the EU wants to work with its partners to enhance the ability of European tech companies to innovate and grow globally while working with these partners to support their own digital transition. This Digital Strategy, therefore, sets out the basis on which the EU will address these objectives.
Using the EuroStack model to determine both the EU’s internal and external policies to achieve tech sovereignty and competitiveness is invaluable (see SwissCore article also covering EuroStack). The EU is highly dependent on third countries for its digital infrastructure and technologies, with more than 80% of its needs currently met through imports. Rather than striving for full self-sufficiency – as this is neither feasible nor desirable – the EuroStack initiative aims to develop Europe’s strategic capabilities, while simultaneously fostering and building beneficial partnerships. The Strategy’s strong focus on partnerships and digital infrastructure, clearly targeting different layers of the stack, has garnered positive responses from the wider community. Though this Strategy is welcomed and considered by many as a step in the right direction, the proof is in the pudding; can Europe join its forces and implement the Strategy in a meaningful way?
Though dependencies are inevitable, Europe can ensure greater technological security through trusted partners. The Strategy thus lays a blueprint for deeper, broader, connected, and strengthened partnerships, to scale its global network. Importantly, the EU is not starting from scratch: partnerships have been built and strengthened over the years, and now it is about deepening these partnerships, for example, in terms of digital cooperation, for which the association of non-EU countries is a valuable enabler. Ultimately, connecting these partnerships to operate as a network is crucial: tackling global challenges and ensuring that Europe is present at the right tables to help shape global standards relies on strong and coordinated voices.
To engage with a broader set of trusted partners, a major new initiative is proposed: the ‘EU Tech Business Offer’ – a public-private investment package to support businesses in building digital capacity. A European Commission representative explained at a dedicated roundtable event hosted by CEPS, that this ambitious initiative is really about rallying the EU private sector when building relations with third countries. While secure connectivity is an area that is already addressed, other layers of the stack should also be targeted, such as AI, cybersecurity, and digital identity. The importance of this Tech Business Offer was reaffirmed by a representative from the upcoming Danish presidency, who highlighted the role of Member States in promoting this initiative and supporting European companies in playing a bigger role in the EU’s external digital affairs to implement and exert influence on global standards.
And though the Strategy provides a strong analytical framework, its implementation is where the real challenge begins. Adequate resources are critical, and, in this respect, two Commission representatives emphasised during the roundtable the importance of using and building capacity in EU delegations for the successful implementation of the Strategy. What is promising is that the upcoming Danish presidency considers Digital Strategy as an opportunity to build on the role of digital affairs, hopefully charting an ambitious course on digital diplomacy.