Politics
The Digital Europe Programme
The Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL) is an EU funding programme focused on bringing digital technology to businesses, citizens and public administrations.
Digital technology and infrastructure have a critical role in our private lives and business environments. We rely on them to communicate, work, advance science and answer current environmental problems. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted not only how much we rely on our technology to be available to us, but also how important it is for Europe not to be dependent on systems and solutions coming from other regions of the world. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has further exposed the vulnerabilities in our digital supply chains and the importance of investing in cybersecurity and drastically improving EU’s digital capacities.
The Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL) provides strategic funding to answer these challenges, supporting projects in key capacity areas such as: supercomputing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, advanced digital skills, and ensuring a wide use of digital technologies across the economy and society. It supports industry, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and public administration in their digital transformation with a reinforced network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH).
A new capacity area on semiconductors was added in September 2023. Under the Chips Act, DIGITAL funding was mobilised to address a semiconductor shortage by promoting capacity building through the Chips for Europe Initiative.
With an overall budget of over €8.1 billion, DIGITAL aims to shape the digital transformation of Europe’s society and economy, in line with EU’s goals defined in the Communication – 2030 Digital Compass: The European way for the Digital Decade and in the Policy Programme – Path to the Digital Decade. The Digital Europe Programme is a part of the long-term EU budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027.
The DIGITAL does not address challenges in isolation. It complements the funding available through other EU programmes, such as the Horizon Europe (for research and innovation) and the Connecting Europe Facility (for digital infrastructure), the Recovery and Resilience Facility and the Structural funds, to name a few. Along with other programmes DIGITAL is also a part of the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) initiative that is designed to enhance the EU’s industrial competitiveness and reinforce European sovereignty by focusing on the development and manufacturing of critical technologies. A number of projects funded by DIGITAL are recipients of the STEP Seal, a quality label that facilitates access to other EU funding.
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Turkish police have detained the mayor of Istanbul, Reuters reports.
Ekrem İmamoğlu is accused of leading a criminal organization, bribery, bid rigging and aiding a terrorist organization.
Early this morning, İmamoğlu’s media advisor Murat İngun reported on the social network X that the mayor had been detained, but did not specify the reason.
Earlier, İmamoğlu wrote on X that hundreds of police officers were outside his home, but stressed that he would not give up and would remain in the face of pressure.
Dozens of riot police were deployed outside İmamoğlu’s house, according to footage broadcast live on CNNTurk television. Police forces searched his house as part of an investigation.
As part of the investigation launched against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, a detention order has been issued for 106 suspects, including Ekrem İmamoğlu, Murat Şongün, Tuncay Yılmaz, Fatih Keleş and Ertan Yıldız. The suspects were detained in a simultaneous large-scale operation.
Rallies and demonstrations in Istanbul have been banned until March 23 amid the detention of the city’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, TGRT Haber television channel reported, citing the city governor’s office.
An Istanbul prosecutor opened a new criminal investigation into Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on Monday, Turkish media reported. The investigation is for alleged attempts to influence the judiciary after İmamoğlu sharply criticized judicial inspections targeting opposition-run municipalities.
News of the investigation came shortly after İmamoğlu, seen as a potential future rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accused the government of using the judiciary as a tool to politically pressure the opposition.
At a news conference, İmamoğlu said the same expert had been assigned to several judicial inspections of him and other municipalities in Istanbul run by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), of which he is a member.
The government rejects the accusations of political interference and says Turkey’s judiciary is independent.
The investigation comes a week after another case against İmamoğlu for criticizing an Istanbul prosecutor over the brief detention of the head of the CHP’s youth wing.
Imamoglu was previously convicted in 2022 of insulting public officials after criticizing a decision to annul the first round of an earlier municipal election in which he defeated the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) candidate. He is appealing the conviction, but if it is upheld by higher courts, he could be banned from politics for five years. Imamoglu was re-elected as mayor last year when the AKP suffered some of its biggest losses in local elections, further heightening tensions between the government and the opposition.
Illustrative Photo by Burak The Weekender: https://www.pexels.com/photo/aerial-photography-of-cityscape-at-night-45189/
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Politics
Savings and investments union: better financial opportunities for EU citizens and businesses
The Commission has adopted a new strategy to channel savings into productive investments. It seeks to increase EU citizens’ participation in capital markets with broader investment options and improved financial literacy, fostering their wealth and boosting the EU economy.
About 70% of household savings in the EU – worth €10 trillion – are held as bank deposits. They are safe and easy to access but usually earn less money than investments in capital markets. The new strategy can support EU citizens in building their household wealth and saving better for the future. Thanks to the savings and investments union, citizens who wish to invest will have better opportunities to invest in capital markets. This means having easy, simple and low-cost access to a wide variety of investment opportunities.
More investments in capital markets support the economy by enabling EU companies to grow and thrive. This can create better jobs with higher salaries for workers, and drive investment and growth across all economic sectors.
The strategy also aims at enhancing the integration and competitiveness of the EU banking sector, including through the deepening of the banking union.
EU institutions, EU countries, and all key stakeholders will need to work together to achieve the savings and investments union. The strategy will be further developed, and measures will be taken in specific areas to boost competitiveness in the EU economy, focusing first on the most impactful actions in 2025.
The EU must unlock its potential to achieve its goals linked to competitiveness, security, and digital and green transitions. By developing an integrated banking system and capital markets, the savings and investments union can bridge the gap between savings and investment needs.
For more information
Competitiveness
Press release: savings and investments union
Q&A: savings and investments union
Factsheet: savings and investments union
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Politics
Joint Statement by High Representative Kallas and Commissioners Šuica and Lahbib on the breakdown of the ceasefire in Gaza
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Istanbul mayor arrested
Savings and investments union: better financial opportunities for EU citizens and businesses
The Digital Europe Programme
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