The Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL) and European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH)

Digital Europe Programme 
and 
European Digital Innovation Hubs

Digital technology and infrastructure have a critical role in our private lives and business environments. We rely on them to communicate, work, advance science and answer current environmental problems. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted not only how much we rely on our technology to be available to us, but also how important it is for Europe not to be dependent on systems and solutions coming from other regions of the world. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has further exposed the vulnerabilities in our digital supply chains and the importance of investing in cybersecurity and drastically improving EU’s digital capacities.  

The Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL) provides strategic funding to answer these challenges, supporting projects in key capacity areas such as: supercomputing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, advanced digital skills, and ensuring a wide use of digital technologies across the economy and society. It supports industry, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and public administration in their digital transformation with a reinforced network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH). 

A new capacity area on semiconductors was added in September 2023. Under the Chips Act, DIGITAL funding was mobilised to address a semiconductor shortage by promoting capacity building through the Chips for Europe Initiative. 

With an overall budget of over €7.9 billion, DIGITAL aims to shape the digital transformation of Europe’s society and economy, in line with EU’s goals defined in the Communication - 2030 Digital Compass: The European way for the Digital Decade and in the Policy Programme - Path to the Digital Decade.

The Digital Europe Programme does not address challenges in isolation,. It complements the funding available through other EU programmes, such as the Horizon Europe (for research and innovation) and the Connecting Europe Facility (for digital infrastructure), the Recovery and Resilience Facility and the Structural funds, to name a few. It is a part of the long-term EU budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027. 

Find out more information on how to get funding.

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European Digital Innovation Hubs

European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) will function as one-stop shops that help companies dynamically respond to the digital challenges and become more competitive.

By providing access to technical expertise and experimentation as well as the possibility to “test before invest”, EDIHs help companies improve business/production processes, products, or services using digital technologies. They also provide innovation services, such as financing advice, training, and skills development that are needed for a successful digital transformation. Environmental issues are also taken into account, in particular with regard to energy consumption and low carbon emissions.

How will the EDIHs work?

European Digital Innovation Hubs will have both local and European functions. EU funding will be made available for hubs that are already (or will be) supported by their Member States (or regions), in order to increase the impact of public funding. The Digital Europe Programme will increase the capacities of the selected hubs to cover activities with a clear European added value, based on networking the hubs and promoting the transfer of expertise. Member States have an essential role in the selection process of the EDIHs; the initial network of EDIHs will be established from a list of hubs designated by the Member States.

The European Commission has developed a document (.pdf) that explains how the EDIH will be implemented in the Digital Europe Programme. 

The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission has developed a practical handbook with good practices on investments in Digital Innovation Hubs. The handbook aims to support regional, national, and RIS3 (Regional Strategy for Research and Innovation for Smart Specialisation) Implementation policymakers.

Many European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH) will be based on existing clusters, or include organisations that are part of an EEN consortia. The SME Strategy also commits to expand Digital Innovation Hubs in connection with Startup Europe and the EEN and provide a seamless service within local and regional ecosystems. Access the guidance document (.pdf) to establish these collaborations.

Pre-selection process of European Digital Innovation Hubs

European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs) are selected through a two-step process. First Member and Associated States preselect candidate entities, which will then be eligible to participate to a European call.

The outcome of the process at country level is available in a catalogue developed by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission

Contact person

BE: Wouter.Flama@vlaanderen.be