Gdańsk, Poland | 16–18 June 2025
The 2025 edition of the Digital Summit, hosted by the Ministry of Digital Affairs of Poland, brought together digital policymakers, industry leaders, SMEs, and innovators from across Europe to help develop the future of Europe’s digital economy. Held from 16 to 18 June at the European Solidarity Centre (ECS) in Gdańsk, the Summit focused on supporting SMEs, advancing digital technologies, and ensuring regulatory compliance in a fast-changing technological landscape.
Silvana Muscella, CEO of Trust-IT Services - DEDEP.eu’s coordinator - contributed to the high-level session on 18 June, presenting during the European Commission’s Report on the Implementation of the Digital Decade, moderated by Michał Boni and Jakub Binkowski. This session featured prominent speakers from the European Commission, the private sector, and civil society, who explored the progress, priorities, and recommendations for achieving the EU’s 2030 Digital Decade targets.
Muscella highlighted the vital role of data governance, digital sovereignty, and stronger coordination among SMEs and large-scale initiatives in supporting Europe’s digital goals. Her insights underlined how active collaboration and inclusive governance are helping stakeholders navigate complex digital policies while staying competitive.
What the Digital Summit Delivered
Under the theme "Digital Transformation for a Competitive and Sovereign Europe", the Digital Summit addressed a wide range of challenges and opportunities for the European digital landscape:
- Adoption of cutting-edge technologies such as AI, cloud, and quantum computing
- Implementation of major EU regulations, including the Digital Services Act (DSA), Digital Markets Act (DMA), AI Act (AIA), Data Governance Act (DGA), and Cyber Resilience Act (CRA)
- Administrative simplification and legal certainty for businesses
- Bridging the ICT skills gap and improving digital education
- Stimulating private investment in tech and improving SME access to digital markets
With more than 30 sessions and side events, the Summit featured high-level speakers such as Margrethe Vestager, former Executive Vice-President of the European Commission; Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission for Technological Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy; Renate Nikolay, Deputy Director-General at the European Commission’s DG CONNECT; Kamila Kloc, Director at European Commission’s DG CONNECT; and Lucilla Sioli, Director of the AI Office at the European Commission’s DG CONNECT. They were joined by senior representatives from the private sector, including Microsoft, Booking.com, Zalando, Deutsche Telekom, OpenAI, and OVHcloud.
Together, their contributions covered a wide range of crucial topics—from the EU’s AI strategy and connectivity targets to cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, innovation policy, and regulatory implementation—offering both practical guidance and forward-looking policy dialogue to strengthen Europe’s digital capabilities.
Executive Vice-President Virkkunen Highlights Cybersecurity and AI Priorities
Another key highlight of the Summit was the participation of Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, who played a leading role in advancing the EU’s digital and cybersecurity priorities.
She officially launched the Industry-Academia Network of the Cybersecurity Skills Academy alongside Krzysztof Gawkowski, Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Digital Affairs. The launch introduced eight inaugural partnerships between industry and academia, aimed at strengthening cybersecurity education and training across Europe.
Executive Vice-President Virkkunen delivered a keynote speech announcing the forthcoming Apply AI Strategy, a central component of the AI Continent Action Plan, due in September 2025. She also opened the Digital Decade Board meeting, following the release of the 2025 Digital Decade report, to review the implementation and targets of the Digital Decade Policy Programme. Her agenda concluded with a Youth Policy Dialogue, offering students a platform to engage in shaping Europe’s digital future.
DEDEP.eu’s Broader Mission
DEDEP.eu’s presence at the Digital Summit reflects its core mission of supporting the Digital Europe Programme through targeted dissemination and exploitation of project outcomes. By helping initiatives maximise visibility, uptake, and impact, DEDEP.eu plays a key role in bridging the gap between EU digital policies and practical implementation on the ground. Through this work, it contributes to a more inclusive and participatory digital transformation, empowering citizens, SMEs, and public authorities while actively supporting Europe’s path towards the Digital Decade 2030 goals.
As Europe moves through the digital age, events like the Digital Summit provide a key platform for collaboration, reflection, and forward planning. DEDEP.eu is proud to be part of this ecosystem and looks forward to continuing engagement with stakeholders across Europe.
As Silvana Muscella stated during her intervention:
“SMEs aren’t observers of Europe’s digital transition — they’re the main actors. To deliver the #DigitalDecade we need small and mid-sized innovators who are ready to take bigger risks, move with agility, and forge bold collaborations across borders and sectors. Courageous, networked #SMEs will turn policy ambitions into real-world impact, driving Europe’s #competitiveness and digital #sovereignty forward.”
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