On 26 January 2022, the Commission put forward the declaration of rights and principles, intended to guide the digital transformation in the EU.
Digital rights and principles will guide the EU in promoting an inclusive, prosperous and sustainable society. The declaration is the first of its kind in the world, and it will be a reference point for everyone in the EU and a guide for policy-makers and companies developing digital technologies. The digital rights and principles will be reflected in the EU’s actions, in its future work and in its engagement with global partners.
The draft declaration covers key rights and principles for the digital transformation, such as placing people and their rights at its centre, supporting solidarity and inclusion, ensuring the freedom of choice online, fostering participation in the digital public space, increasing safety, security and empowerment of individuals, and promoting the sustainability of the digital future.
These rights and principles should accompany people in the EU in their everyday life: affordable and high-speed digital connectivity everywhere and for everybody, well-equipped classrooms and digitally skilled teachers, seamless access to public services, a safe digital environment for children, disconnecting after working hours, obtaining easy-to-understand information on the environmental impact of our digital products, controlling how their personal data are used and with whom they are shared.
The European Parliament and the Council are invited to discuss the draft declaration, and to endorse it at the highest level by this summer.
Find here a factsheet that includes a brief overview of the digital rights and principles, outlining the 6 chapters on which they are based, along with key statistics and a timeline.
