Unveiling the EU Digital Policy Pathways: A Compass without True North?

Digital transformation is a widely used concept in policies and academic discourse (Heeks et al., 2023), especially in the EU (European Commission 2021; 2022). Consolidated digital monopolies (Bilić et al., 2021; Rikap, 2021) and public pressure impose the need for protective industrial policy and stronger democratic governance. Geopolitical relations lead to trade conflicts in which the open global Internet and open markets falter in the face of the controlled global flow of technology, data and capital (Bradford, 2023).

The Digital Compass, designed to bolster the European international standing and create a sustainable digital transformation, focuses on creating efficient markets and public administration, better connectivity, improved digital skills and democracy. However, predominantly technocratic solutions often overlook the need for a comprehensive approach to social development. It is crucial to consider power and unequal social relations, rather than just individual skills and freedoms.

In this paper, we analyse (a) the underlying pathways in digital policy (strategies, acts, communications) (N=38) and (b) the regulatory expertise and experience of European Commission digital policy experts gathered through semi-structured interviews (N=10). Combining quantitative and qualitative analysis, we present the main characteristics and relations between explicit and implicit development paradigms (neoliberal, structuralist, sustainable, human development, and public wealth production).

Empirical data shows the lack of a single development direction of the EU digital policy. Relationships between individuals, social groups, public authorities, European institutions, and corporations are evolving. Infrastructures are insufficiently considered a shared resource through the lens of universal accessibility, non-discrimination, and social welfare. Private and public investments are reshaping the boundaries and responsibilities of actors in complex and unpredictable ways. Targeting too many policy goals creates the risk of missing the policy goals and steering digital transformation in undesirable directions.