Digital Europe Programme - 32021R0694

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

Regulation (EU) 2021/694 establishes the digital Europe programme – a European Union (EU) funding programme designed to bring digital technology to businesses, citizens and public administrations. It aims to:

• improve the EU’s competitiveness in the global digital economy;
• contribute to bridging the digital divide across the EU and reinforcing its strategic autonomy;
• strengthen and promote Europe’s capacities in key digital technology areas through large-scale deployment.

The regulation has been amended by Regulation (EU) 2025/38, which introduces measures to strengthen the EU’s capacities to detect, prepare for and respond to cyber threats and incidents by setting up:

• a pan-European network of cyber hubs (European cybersecurity alert system) for coordinated detection and common situational awareness purposes;
• a Cybersecurity Emergency Mechanism to support EU Member States in preparing for, responding to, mitigating the impact of and initiating recovery from significant cybersecurity incidents¹ and large-scale cybersecurity incidents² and to support other users in their responses to such incidents;
• a European Cybersecurity Incident Review Mechanism to review and assess significant or large-scale cybersecurity incidents.

KEY POINTS

• The programme runs from 1 January 2021 to 31 December 2027, i.e. the period of the multiannual financial framework. It is backed by an indicative allocation of more than €8.2 billion in current prices and is implemented mainly under direct management by the European Commission.
• The regulation sets out six interrelated specific objectives aiming to widen Europe’s capacities in key digital technology areas in the private sector and in areas of public interest.

High-performance computing (€2,019,914,000)

The operational objectives are primarily implemented through the European High-Performance Computing Joint Undertaking, set up under Regulation (EU) 2018/1488, and include:

• easily accessible world-class exascale³ supercomputing and data infrastructure for public and private users – particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), easily accessible for research, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/1488;
• an EU-wide high-performance computing ecosystem, covering science and industry, including hardware, software, applications, services, interconnections and digital skills;
• post-exascale infrastructure, including integration with quantum computing technologies and research infrastructure for computing science and encouraging the necessary hardware and software development.

Artificial intelligence (AI) (€1,760,806,000 – increased from €1,663,956,000 by amending Regulation (EU) 2025/38)

The programme supports the following operational objectives:

• core AI capacities and knowledge, including better-quality data resources and exchange mechanisms, and libraries of algorithms, accessible to businesses (especially SMEs and start-ups), citizens, not-for-profit organisations, research institutions, universities and public administrations;
• EU testing and experimentation facilities for commercial applications and production systems to better integrate technologies within value chains.

Cybersecurity and trust (€1,372,020,000 – reduced from €1,399,566,000 by amending Regulation (EU) 2025/38)

The programme supports the following operational objectives:

• advanced cybersecurity equipment, tools and data infrastructure, together with the Member States;
• knowledge, capacity and skills related to cybersecurity, including best practices;
• capabilities of the Member States and the private sector in support of the Cybersecurity of Network and Information Systems Directive (Directive (EU) 2022/2555 – see summary);
• resilience, risk awareness and at least basic levels of cybersecurity;
• better coordination between the civilian and defence cybersecurity spheres.

Amending Regulation (EU) 2025/38 adds the following objectives under this programme:

• the development of the European cybersecurity alert system, including the development, deployment and operation of national cyber hubs and cross-border cyber hubs;
• the establishment and operation of the Cybersecurity Emergency Mechanism to support Member States and other users.

These activities will be implemented primarily through the European Cybersecurity Industrial, Technology and Research Competence Centre and the Network of National Coordination Centres in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2021/887.

Advanced digital skills (€482,640,000 – reduced from €507,347,000 by amending Regulation (EU) 2025/38)

The programme supports the development of advanced digital skills to:

• increase Europe’s talent pool;
• bridge the digital divide and foster greater professionalism, especially in high-performance and cloud computing, big data analytics, cybersecurity, distributed ledger technologies (e.g. blockchain), quantum technologies, robotics and AI.

Operational objectives include high-quality short- and long-term courses, on-the-job training and work placements (as appropriate) for students and the workforce, in particular in SMEs and in the public sector.

Deployment and best use of digital capacity and interoperability (€1,002,217,000)

The programme supports the following objectives:

• effective deployment of state-of-the-art digital technologies, such as high-performance computing, AI and cybersecurity, by stakeholders in the public sector and in areas of public interest, such as health and social care, education, the judiciary, customs, transport, mobility, energy, the environment and the cultural and creative sectors;
• deployment and use of integrated and interoperable trans-European infrastructure and agreed digital standards in the public sector;
• use of solutions and frameworks, including open-source solutions, by public administrations, businesses and citizens;
• easy access to digital technology testing and piloting of digital technologies for the public sector and EU industry, particularly SMEs;
• support for the uptake of advanced digital technologies, including high-performance computing, AI, cybersecurity and blockchain, by the public sector and EU industry, particularly SMEs and start-ups;
• ensuring continuous capacity at the EU level to lead digital development, along with observing, analysing and adapting to fast-evolving digital trends and sharing best practices;
• building a future European ecosystem for trusted data sharing and digital infrastructure.

Semiconductors (€1,575,000,000)

The programme supports the following objectives:

• building up advanced design capacities for integrated semiconductor technologies;
• enhancing existing and developing new advanced pilot lines across the EU to enable the development and deployment of cutting-edge semiconductor technologies and next-generation semiconductor technologies;
• building advanced technology and engineering capacities to accelerate the innovative development of cutting-edge quantum chips and associated semiconductor technologies;
• establishing a network of competence centres across the EU by enhancing existing or creating new facilities;
• undertaking activities, collectively known as Chips Fund activities, to facilitate access to debt financing and equity, including by providing clear guidance, in particular for start-ups, scale-ups, SMEs and small mid-caps (companies with at least 250 but fewer than 1,500 employees) in the semiconductor value chain, through a blending facility under the InvestEU Fund and via the European Innovation Council, which was established under Horizon Europe.

A network of European digital innovation hubs will provide access to technological expertise for businesses – in particular SMEs – and public administrations. These hubs will bring together industry, businesses and administrations in need of new technological solutions and companies with market-ready solutions.

The programme involves co-financing from Member States and, when needed, from the private sector. Grants under the programme may cover up to 100 % of the eligible costs.

The programme is also open to the participation of the following non-EU countries through association or partial association:

• European Free Trade Association (EFTA) members who are also members of the European Economic Area (EEA);
• candidate countries and potential candidate countries;
• European neighbourhood policy countries;
• other non-EU countries by agreement.

Digital Europe is complementary to other programmes supporting the digital transition, such as Horizon Europe, which focuses on research and technological development, and the digital aspects of the Connecting Europe Facility.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 1 January 2021.

BACKGROUND

For further information, see:

• The digital Europe programme (European Commission)
• High performance computing (European Commission)
• European approach to artificial intelligence (European Commission)
• Digital skills initiatives (European Commission)
• The EU Cyber Solidarity Act (European Commission).

KEY TERMS

1. Significant cybersecurity incident. A cyber threat that, based on its technical characteristics, can be assumed to have the potential to have a severe impact on the network and information systems of an entity or the users of the entity’s services by causing considerable material or non-material damage.
2. Large-scale cybersecurity incident. An incident that causes a level of disruption that exceeds a Member State’s capacity to respond to it or that has a significant impact on at least two Member States.
3. Exascale. Next-generation computing systems capable of executing 10¹⁸ (10 to the power of 18) floating operations per second.

MAIN DOCUMENT

Regulation (EU) 2021/694 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2021 establishing the Digital Europe Programme and repealing Decision (EU) 2015/2240 (OJ L 166, 11.5.2021, pp. 1–34).

Successive amendments to Regulation (EU) 2021/694 have been incorporated into the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Regulation (EU) 2025/38 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 19 December 2024 laying down measures to strengthen solidarity and capacities in the Union to detect, prepare for and respond to cyber threats and incidents and amending Regulation (EU) 2021/694 (Cyber Solidarity Act) (OJ L, 2025/38, 15.1.2025).

See consolidated version.

Directive (EU) 2022/2555 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2022 on measures for a high common level of cybersecurity across the Union, amending Regulation (EU) No 910/2014 and Directive (EU) 2018/1972, and repealing Directive (EU) 2016/1148 (NIS 2 Directive) (OJ L 333, 27.12.2022, pp. 80–152).

See consolidated version.

Regulation (EU) 2021/695 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 April 2021 establishing Horizon Europe – the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, laying down its rules for participation and dissemination, and repealing Regulations (EU) No 1290/2013 and (EU) No 1291/2013 (OJ L 170, 12.5.2021, pp. 1–68).

See consolidated version.

Council Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2093 of 17 December 2020 laying down the multiannual financial framework for the years 2021 to 2027 (OJ L 433I, 22.12.2020, pp. 11–22).

See consolidated version.

Regulation (EU) 2019/881 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 April 2019 on ENISA (the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity) and on information and communications technology cybersecurity certification and repealing Regulation (EU) No 526/2013 (Cybersecurity Act) (OJ L 151, 7.6.2019, pp. 15–69).

See consolidated version.

Council Regulation (EU) 2021/1173 of 13 July 2021 on establishing the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking and repealing Regulation (EU) 2018/1488 (OJ L 256, 19.7.2021, pp. 3–51).

See consolidated version.