Digital Europe Programme

Regulation (EU) 2021/694 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2021 establishes the Digital Europe Programme for the duration of the multiannual financial framework 2021-2027. It lays down the objectives of the Programme, the budget for the period 2021-2027, the forms of Union funding and the rules for providing such funding.
The Digital Europe Programme aims to support the digital transition in the EU by encouraging the uptake of digital technologies by businesses, citizens and public administrations and by enhancing digital skills.
 

Specific objectives


Digital Europe funds projects under six interlinked specific objectives:
 
  • Supercomputing (€2.0 billion): investments in the development, acquisition and use of supercomputers and quantum computing in the EU;
  • Artificial intelligence (€1.7 billion): support to the development and deployment of AI technologies, including test frames and data spaces;
  • Cybersecurity (€1.4 billion): strengthening advanced cybersecurity capacity, promoting the exchange of best practices, including support to the European cybersecurity industry;
  • Advanced digital skills (€0.5 billion): expanding the education and training offer in key digital technologies such as AI, big data, cybersecurity, etc.;
  • Deployment and best use of digital capacities and interoperability (€1.0 billion): developing digital capacities of public administration, establishing European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) supporting the digital transformation of public and private organisations in Europe and putting digital solutions into practice (e.g. in health, justice, environment);
  • Semiconductors (€1.6 billion): partial implementation of the ‘Chips for Europe’ initiative under the EU Chips Regulation with a focus on strengthening Europe’s research and production capacity for semiconductors, supporting the development of advanced technologies and pilot lines, and reducing the EU’s dependence on external suppliers in key technologies.
 
The financial envelope for the implementation of the Digital Europe Programme for the period from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2027 is EUR 8.168.000.000. 
With its broad thematic scope, the Programme targets a wide range of stakeholders: SMEs, HEIs, research centres, public authorities, large companies, etc. 
The Digital Europe Programme complements other EU programmes, such as Horizon Europe for research and innovation, the Connecting Europe Facility for digital infrastructure, the Recovery and Resilience Facility and the Structural Funds.
 

Work programmes


The general objectives, scope, expected results, as well as the allocation for each specific objective, are described in different work programmes:
 
  • Work programme 2025-2027 - includes specific objectives: Artificial intelligence, Advanced digital skills and Deployment and best use of digital capacities and interoperability
  • Work programme 2025-2027 of the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre and Network
  • Work programme on High Performance Computing 2025
  • Multiannual work programme 2023-2027 of the Chips Joint Undertaking 
All work programmes are available here.
 
Detailed descriptions of specific competition topics are available in the tender documents following the publication of the call on the Funding & Tenders Portal.
Information on the Digital Europe Programme is available on the website of the European Commission.