Digital Europe (DIGITAL)
Digital Europe (DIGITAL) is the EU's implementation programme and includes a cybersecurity programme for 2021-2022. The call for proposals for the health sector opens on 22 February and closes on 17 May. Other calls in the cybersecurity programme open Q3 and close Q4.
The Digital Europe Programme, known as DIGITAL, is a new EU programme to accelerate digital transformation for businesses, the public sector and citizens. It is an implementation programme and complements Horizon Europe, which focuses mainly on research and technological development.
Coordinator and budget
The main coordinator of DIGITAL in Sweden is the Swedish Agency for Digital Government (DIGG). DIGITAL covers the period 2021-2027 and is divided into five objectives for large-scale digital transformation and infrastructure deployment.
For measures in the specific area of cybersecurity and trust (objective 3), DIGITAL has a total budget for the whole programming period of €1.6 billion.
Four work programmes in 2021-2022
The first programming period 2021-2022 includes four work programmes:
- A main programme with actions in areas such as AI, digital skills and a European quantum communication infrastructure (EuroQCI)
- A High-Performance Computing Programme
- A European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) Programme
- A Cybersecurity Work Programme.
The ECCC will in future be responsible for the development and implementation of the Cybersecurity Work Programme in cooperation with the network of NCCs.
The main DIGITAL programme also includes cybersecurity measures but these will not be managed by the ECCC and the NCC network.
The budget for these measures amounts to €222 million for the 2021-2022 programme period, of which €170 million is dedicated to EuroQCI.
The budget for the 2021-2022 Cybersecurity Work Programme is €269 million.
Cybersecurity Work Programme initiatives
Initiatives under the Cybersecurity Work Programme will include:
- Cybersecurity testbeds
- Interconnected SOCs (Security Operations Centres)
- Securing 5G strategic digital infrastructure and technologies
- Support to cybersecurity in the health sector
- Support for the implementation of EU cybersecurity directive.
Regarding the last point, DIGITAL takes over the support previously provided under the EU CEF Cybersecurity programme for the implementation of the NIS Directive. Support is also given to applications under the Cybersecurity Act.
About the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL) on the EU websiteAbout the Digital Europe Programme’s cybersecurity programme on the EU website