The race for digital dominance gains momentum: the EU’s international digital strategy

In June 2025. The European Union announced an international digital strategy – Joint Communication on the EU Digital Strategy for the International Dimension – JOIN(2025) 140 final. The aim of the measures taken is to strengthen the EU’s position as a technology leader and ensure a human-centered digital transformation.

Digital strategy priorities include:

• EU’s leading role in artificial intelligence and new technologies;
• Helping partners build trusted digital systems;
• Linking public and private investment through the EU’s technology business offerings;
• Strengthening digital rights, cyber security and infrastructure;
• Ensuring greater security and accountability of online platforms.

General background

Rising international tensions, polarization and instability are forcing efforts to enter the realm of digital transformation.

We can all see that digital technologies are playing an increasingly important role in international security issues, in areas such as supply chains, dual-use technologies, cyber security and hybrid threats.

We also see that digital technologies are not only gaining an economic advantage in terms of competitiveness and efficiency, but can also be part of strengthening national defense and security. The EU’s economic security and defense are now dependent on foreign technologies and supply chains.

In the geopolitical technological race, international technological cooperation and trade with partners and allies is becoming crucial. This is why it has become so important to strengthen the EU’s internal and external digital policy efforts.

Actions taken

In April 2024, the European Council stressed the need to strengthen EU leadership in global digital affairs, inviting, among others, the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to prepare a communication on digital strategy.

Then, from May 7 to 21, 2025. The European Commission held a public consultation to receive opinions, proposals and ideas that could help shape the EU’s external digital policy and develop a communication on digital strategy internationally.

A wide range of stakeholders, including technology companies, trade associations, EU and third-country national authorities, civil society, NGOs, academia and citizens, shared their views during the consultation process.

In June 2025, the International Digital Strategy, a communication on the EU’s digital strategy internationally, was launched. The international digital strategy for the European Union emphasizes deepening existing partnerships, including through new initiatives and cooperation projects, as well as building more partnerships and dialogues. It highlights five key areas of cooperation with partner countries:

• New technologies: AI, 56/6G, semiconductors and quantum technologies;
• A secure and trusted digital infrastructure;
• cyber security;
• digital identity and digital public infrastructure;
• online platforms.

International digital strategy – goals and priorities

The strategy prioritizes working with international partners to scale digital infrastructure, strengthen cyber security and support emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing and semiconductors, while promoting democratic values and human rights in digital governance.

The joint communication on the EU’s digital strategy internationally has the following objectives:

• expand international partnerships and digital dialogues, establishing new ones and fostering cooperation through the new Digital Partnership Network;
• Strengthen the technological competitiveness and security of the EU, as well as partners;
• Implement the EU’s technology business offerings, combining EU private and public sector investments to support partner countries’ digital transformation;
• Strengthen global digital governance, promoting a rules-based global digital order in line with the EU’s core values.

Cooperation with partner countries is to focus on the following priority areas:

• secure and trusted digital infrastructure, essential for growth in key sectors such as energy, transportation, finance and health;
• New technologies such as AI, 5G/6G, semiconductors and quantum technologies;
• Digital governance that promotes social cohesion and protects human rights and democratic principles;
• cyber security;
• digital identity and digital public infrastructure;
• Internet platforms to protect children online, freedom of speech, democracy and citizens’ privacy.

Anticipated effects

With the International Digital Strategy unveiled on June 5, 2025, the European Union has unveiled a plan to strengthen its leadership in global digital affairs while strengthening partnerships in this area.

Better coordinated provision of the EU’s unique offering, combining innovation, regulation and investment, is expected to protect strategic interests in technology and digital transformation and strengthen economic security.

The partnerships are designed to enable the European Union to promote European technological solutions and policy approaches around the world, while supporting a secure and human-centered digital transformation and promoting the EU’s role in global e-governance.