On 1 April 2026, the EU opened its 10th funding call under the Digital Europe Programme, directing β¬12.5 million to digital skills projects across member states. Yet the share of EU citizens with basic digital competence stands at just 56% β and at the current pace, only 59.8% will be reached by 2030, far short of the 80% target. Money is flowing, but the gap refuses to close.
The EU set a bold target: 80% of citizens with basic digital skills by 2030. But at the current pace, Europe will only reach 60% β a 20-point shortfall. What is the EU doing to close the gap?
The EU's March 2025 Action Plan on Basic Skills reveals: 25% of European 15-year-olds cannot understand basic texts. We look at the paradox facing a continent racing to build a digital economy while basic literacy is declining.
The EU and OECD have jointly released an AI Literacy Framework for primary and secondary education, built around 22 competencies across 4 domains. Could this become the blueprint for teaching the next generation to live with AI?