Cohesion policy invests in digital cohesion for a fair and inclusive digital transition

On 9 March 2021, the European Commission presented its vision for Europe’s digital transformation by 2030. Investment in the digital transition contributes to attaining fair and inclusive digital society outlined in the vision, as well as contributing to the cohesion policy ambition of leaving no region and no one behind
Cohesion policy has planned more than EUR 40 billion of investment in digitisation through the 2021-2027 programmes funded by ERDF, ESF+, the Cohesion Fund, Interreg and the Just Transition Fund. Explore these investments using this interactive datastory.

Significant EU investment in digitisation of EUR 40 billion is planned

On 9 March 2021, the European Commission presented its vision for Europe’s digital transformation by 2030, with a Digital Compass for the EU's digital decade that evolves around four digital dimensions:
  • Digital skills;
  • Secure and sustainable digital infrastructure (investment in digital connectivity networks)
  • Digital transformation of businesses (e-solutions and e-services in and for enterprises);
  • Digitalisation of public services (e-services in public administration; E-health services); 
The tracking of digital expenditure in cohesion policy measures the expenditure contributing to the EU digital transition along the four digital dimensions.
The Commission has established a MFF digital transition tracking system that includes (1) direct investment in specific digital actions (weighted 100%) and (2) estimates the digital element of investments where important digital component are expected (weighted 40%). The MFF tracking system is applied, as far as possible, across various EU budget funded programmes. Cohesion policy programming and the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) have a similar approach using intervention fields (categorisation of financial allocations).
The following chart shows the total volume of more than EUR 40 billion of EU support to digitisation under ERDF, ESF+ and the Cohesion Fund (EUR 55 billion in total cost - EU+national financing) and the JTF. 
Tips: 
Use the filters (top right of chart) to filter by EU fund, member state or intervention field (actions);
- Use the drill down/up button (top left of chart) to explore the EU fund allocations by MS or intervention field;
- Use the buttons bottom left to toggle between the chart and a table of the underlying aggregate values;
- Export the underlying detailed filtered data from the "export data" item under the chart menu (three points at top right of chart).

Expore digital tracking in relation to the objectives and actions supported

Included within the MFF digital tracking mechanism are 2 dedicated ERDF specific objectives with associated output and result indicators that address "Reaping the benefits of digitisation", by supporting digitisation in public services and in SMEs, and "Digital connectivity" reducing barriers to access to high speed digital connections.  Outside these 2 specific objectives significant other digital investments take place in areas such as innovation, SME support, smart energy grids, transport and health systems (e-health). The ESF+ also tracks the support to digital skills and jobs across several specific objectives. 
Tips: 
Use the filters (top right of chart) to filter by EU fund, member state, Specific objective or intervention field (actions);
- Use the drill down/up button (top left of chart) to explore the EU fund allocations by intervention field;
- Use the buttons bottom left to toggle between the chart and a table of the underlying aggregate values;
- Export the underlying detailed filtered data from the "export data" item under the chart menu (three points at top right of chart).

More information

This datastory will be progressively expanded to make a more complete presentation of this support and, in 2024, to include the first data on implementation of the plans.
Find out more about #CohesionOpenData  Website Blog FAQ User Guide - Browse other data stories
Contact: REGIO-SMART-GROWTH@ec.europa.eu
Author: Ramunas LINARTAS, John WALSH
Date of Text: April 2023 (original text); September 2023 (to include JTF in headline amount).