In recent years, the European Union has made significant progress in the digital space, with important legislative measures such as the Digital Services Act, the Digital Markets Act, the AI Act and the Interoperable Europe Act. These initiatives shape a future in which digital transformation is both inevitable and beneficial.
However, the promise of that future could fall short if we fail to address a fundamental issue: digital inclusion.
Building skills for a digital society
While technological innovation continues to advance, digital inclusion is often sidelined by broader social policy debates. Despite the EU's efforts to achieve its Digital Decade 2030 targets – including moving 100 per cent of government services online – the latest Eurobarometer report shows one-third of Europeans still lack basic digital skills, and around 80 per cent would benefit from support in accessing or using digital technologies.
Digital inclusion encompasses much more than teaching people how to use smartphones or computers. It is about ensuring that everyone – including digitally disenfranchised groups like senior citizens, migrants and low-income families – has the skills and infrastructure to participate in the digital economy and society, access public services and claim their digital rights.
City governments are uniquely positioned to address digital inclusion at its most critical point – the local level.
Rotterdam tackles the digital divide
Take the example of my city, Rotterdam. In October 2023,we launched a comprehensive digital inclusion programme that is co-ordinated across all city departments. It fosters neighbourhood-level initiatives such as TeaTime, where migrant women gather in the familiar setting of a neighbour’s home to learn how to use smartphones and access essential services.
Cities are also tackling the deeper, more complex aspects of the digital divide. In Ghent, digital coaches are embedded in social services to help citizens who are struggling with new technologies. Barcelona has created specific policy on digital inclusion, whereby information and communication technology agents promote digital training throughout the city’s neighbourhoods. Bordeaux Métropole is using data to map inequalities in a digital divide observatory and ensure solutions reach those most in need.
Digital inclusion also requires ensuring that citizens' digital rights are upheld – including the right to privacy, the right to information, and the right to freely access and use digital platforms without discrimination. In Brussels, the digital rights charter underscores the importance of protecting residents from discrimination and ensuring transparency in the use of digital tools.
Forging ties with the EU
Despite our best efforts, we cannot do this alone. Cities need a stronger seat at the EU table. We need the European Commission to work with us, to support our local strategies, and to ensure that digital inclusion is treated with the urgency it deserves. Cities have valuable insights to offer in the development of digital policies, and without our input, well-intended EU strategies may not reach their full potential.
When we talk about the digital divide, we are not just discussing a lack of internet or devices. We are talking about a lack of opportunity. The digital world offers new ways to learn, work and connect, but for those left out, it means isolation. It is our responsibility to make sure this gap does not widen further.