The Commission is beginning a public consultation on the formation of a set of principles to promote and protect EU values in the digital environment today, as a follow-up to its Digital Decade Communication of 9 March. The consultation, which runs through September 2nd, aims to spark a broad social discourse by gathering input from people, non-governmental and civil society organisations, corporations, government agencies, and other interested parties.

These principles will serve as a guide for the EU and Member States in developing digital laws and regulations that deliver the benefits of digitalisation for all citizens.

Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President for a Europe fit for a Digital Age, stated that their goal is to create a fair and secure digital environment that benefits everyone. The digital principles will drive this European human-centred digital strategy and should serve as a benchmark for future work in all sectors. That is why they are interested in hearing from EU citizens.

In its Communication “Digital Compass: the European Way for the Digital Decade,” released on March 9, the Commission outlined its goal for Europe’s digital transformation by 2030 and advocated compiling a set of digital principles. Access to internet services, a safe and trusted online environment, digital health services, and human-centric digital public services and administration, are all included.

All interested parties and individuals can also offer their perspectives on digital education and skills required for people to participate actively in society and political processes, ethical principles for human-centric algorithms, the protection and empowerment of children and young people in the online world, and environmentally friendly digital systems and gadgets. They are also encouraged to suggest other formulations or expand on additional potential ideas.

These principles will be added to existing rights that currently protect and empower Europeans online, such as personal data and privacy protection, freedom of speech, the ability to start and run a company online, and intellectual property protection.

This approach is also in line with the Commission’s recent proposal on Artificial Intelligence, which intends to guarantee that the use of this technology in the EU is safe and human-centered.