Negotiators from the European Parliament and the Council of the EU will meet on Wednesday 13 July for a second round of inter-institutional negotiations (‘trilogue’) on the programme setting out the Path to the Digital Decade to 2030 (see EUROPE 12954/35).
While agreements were quickly reached on some aspects, other issues remain unresolved. The negotiators will have to try to reach an agreement on several points, starting with the cooperation mechanism between the European Commission and the Member States.
On this point, the positions of the European Parliament and the EU Council remained far apart during the last trilogue, with the Parliament wanting to be given a greater role in the monitoring and cooperation mechanism.
The Parliament, for example, would like to be more involved in the adoption of the key performance indicators for the digital targets set via a delegated act.
In addition, the issue of the regional aspect of the monitoring and implementation of the programme - an important issue for the European Parliament, which has tabled several amendments - will also be addressed extensively.
During the latest discussions at technical level, it was clarified that the collection of disaggregated data would apply at regional level, if Member States “already have” this type of data, says an EU Council working document. The emphasis at the time was on the “voluntary” nature of the process, the document adds.
Furthermore, also at regional level, the European Parliament adds that national strategic roadmaps for the implementation of the Path to the Digital Decade should be drafted after consultation with business organisations, such as SME representatives, social partners and civil society as well as local and regional representatives.
As a reminder, in the position adopted on 11 May, the EU Council envisaged giving Member States more flexibility in drawing up these roadmaps, “taking into account the differences between countries and in the levels of ambition” (see EUROPE 12951/12).
The regions, the Parliament proposes, could also have the implementation of multinational projects delegated to them, and participate in these latter.
Finally, the issue of definitions, on which there is still disagreement between the EU Council and the European Parliament, will also be raised. The second trilogue should focus, among other things, on the definition of ‘basic and advanced digital skills’, and ‘unicorns’.
See the EU Council document: https://aeur.eu/f/2l7 (Original version in French by Thomas Mangin)