The European Commission has adopted the first amendment to the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL) Work Programme 2025–2027, adjusting investments in the final two years of the programme to reflect the Commission’s most recent political priorities.
For the Digital Europe community, this amendment is an important signal: it reinforces DIGITAL’s role in strengthening Europe’s critical digital capacities and accelerating the deployment and best use of strategic technologies across the EU.
Key directions reinforced by the amendment
The amended objectives confirm a strengthened focus on:
- AI, cloud and data, including support for AI Factories under EuroHPC (with AI-optimised, energy-efficient supercomputers) and measures to accelerate AI uptake through the Apply AI Strategy, including generative AI and sectoral adoption (e.g., health and care).
- European data spaces and the underlying federated cloud-to-edge infrastructure, positioning data availability and interoperability as essential enablers for scaled AI deployment.
- Cybersecurity resilience, including stronger preparedness and response capabilities across key sectors, and enhanced protection of critical infrastructures supporting global communications (including submarine cables).
- Continued progress on digital public services and EU Digital Identity, including the EU Digital Identity Wallet architecture and European Trust Infrastructure, with a stronger emphasis on business use cases.
- Support for advanced digital skills, strengthening Europe’s capacity to nurture and attract talent via specialised academies and education programmes.
- Semiconductors, including support for the development of semiconductor technologies and solutions through financial instruments.
In addition, the amendment continues to promote multi-country cooperation, including support for European Digital Infrastructure Consortia (EDICs) and mechanisms to facilitate combined funding, including via the STEP Seal label.
Impact on DIGITAL Specific Objectives
From a programme structure perspective, the amendment most strongly reinforces:
- SO1 – High Performance Computing (HPC): notably through AI Factories under EuroHPC and high-end computing capacity for AI and advanced applications.
- SO2 – Artificial Intelligence, Data and Cloud: expanded emphasis on data spaces, federated cloud-to-edge, and accelerated AI adoption (including generative AI).
- SO3 – Cybersecurity: strengthened resilience measures and protection of critical infrastructures. It also brings targeted reinforcement for:
- SO4 – Advanced Digital Skills: via academies and specialised education programmes.
- SO5 – Deployment and Best Use of Digital Technologies: via continued support for interoperable digital public services, EU Digital Identity Wallet deployment, and multi-country cooperation mechanisms.
What this means for projects
The amendment sharpens DIGITAL’s emphasis on scale-up, interoperability and deployment at an European level. Projects aligned with priorities such as AI adoption, data spaces, federated cloud-to-edge, cyber resilience, digital identity, and cross-border public services may see stronger strategic relevance in the evolving DIGITAL landscape—particularly where results can be reused, deployed across borders, and sustained beyond the project lifecycle.
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