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This contribution was delivered on 5 May 2022 on the occasion of the hybrid 2022 edition of EUI State of the Union on ‘A Europe fit for the next generation?' Digitalisation offers small firms in Europe and the rest of the world the prospect of engaging in international trade, either as part of a global value chain (B2B) or providing services to consumers directly (B2C). Different models of regulation of digital trade have emerged around the world, resulting in a fragmentation of rules which can potentially impact costs and the ability of firms and consumers to sell (and buy) digital products and online services across borders. The session will draw on the ongoing Digital Trade Integration Project, a CIVICA research project led by the EUI, that collects information on digital trade regulation, exploring options to overcome regulatory fragmentation, including negotiation of digital partnership agreements and regulatory equivalence mechanisms.

This contribution was delivered on 5 May 2022 on the occasion of the hybrid 2022 edition of EUI State of the Union on ‘A Europe fit for the next generation?' EU Member States have adopted several initiatives to establish a legal and technical framework for digital identity. The European Commission has facilitated this development by offering guidance and promoting interoperable solutions through frameworks such as eIDAS and solutions developed within the European Interoperability Framework. At the same time, two years of COVID-19 pandemic have led at once to an acceleration of digital identity projects, and mounting concerns that widespread data collection and availability can lead to the risk of privacy violations, citizen profiling and mass surveillance. This session will explore the opportunities and challenges of emerging digital identity and digital payments, including the privacy, security concerns as well as the outstanding opportunities for inclusive growth, resilient and sustainable solutions for the society of the future. The discussion will also cover emerging attempts to develop joint European solutions for digital identity, including the recent joint declaration between the governments of Finland and Germany to support the progress of the proposed regulation on European digital identity, and to accelerate the development of joint European solutions based on digital identity.

This contribution was delivered on 5 May 2022 on the occasion of the hybrid 2022 edition of EUI State of the Union on ‘A Europe fit for the next generation?' The European economy faces three major challenges. It must achieve a transition to a digital economy, to a low-carbon and sustainable economy, and to a more inclusive economy. Making Europe’s economy more resilient has become even more important with the Russian war on Ukraine. We already know that the next phase of transformation will be felt even more acutely by citizens. We also know that the social impact of these transformations will vary across European countries and regions. Too great a disparity in economic opportunities and development possibilities jeopardizes the attractiveness of the European Union and its ability to act – both internally and externally. In the past, the European Single Market has made a decisive contribution to the development of the member states and the well-being of Europeans. But the benefits of the single market are not evenly distributed among the countries and regions of the EU. The post-pandemic economic recovery will not even out the disparities by itself. And while the overall economic fallout from Russia’s war on Ukraine is still difficult to predict, the impact will be different for different EU member states and regions. What are the likely effects of European initiatives and policies to green and digitize the European economy on regional development and cohesion in Europe? And what can European policymakers do to strengthen European cohesion along the way.