In 2018, former European Parliament President David Sassoli advocated for the idea of including internet access as a human right.
The European Commission proposed on January 26, 2022 to the European Parliament and the Council to sign a declaration of digital rights and principles that will guide the digital transformation in the Union.
This draft declaration on digital rights and principles aims to give every citizen a clear idea of the digital transformation that the Union promotes and defends.
"The declaration will also serve as a guide for policy makers and businesses in the field of new technologies. The rights and freedoms enshrined in the EU's legal framework, as well as the European values expressed by the principles, should be respected online as they are in the real world. After its joint adoption, the declaration will also define the approach to digital transformation that the Union will promote worldwide."Rights and principles in the digital age
The draft declaration addresses rights and principles that are essential for digital transformation, such as "putting citizens and their rights at the heart of this process, supporting solidarity and inclusion, ensuring freedom of choice online, encouraging participation in the digital public space, enhancing personal safety, security and empowerment, and promoting the sustainability of the digital future.""These rights and principles should accompany EU citizens in their daily lives:- affordable high-speed digital connections everywhere and for everyone,
- well-equipped classrooms and teachers with digital skills,
- easy access to public services,
- a safe digital environment for children,
- disconnection after working hours,
- providing easy-to-understand information about the environmental impact of our digital products,
- Control over how personal data is used and shared with third parties."
The Commission plans to "monitor progress in its implementation, assess gaps and make recommendations for action in an annual report on the status of the Digital Decade".
The European Parliament and the Council are invited to examine the draft declaration and approve it at the highest level by the summer.
The European Commission had outlined on March 9, 2021, its vision for Europe's digital transformation by 2030, in its communication on the digital compass:
The Declaration of Digital Rights and Principles builds on previous initiatives:
- The "Tallinn Declaration on eGovernment (2017)
- The "Berlin Declaration on the Digital Society and Value-Based Government (2020)
- The "Lisbon Declaration - Digital Democracy with a Purpose". (2021)
Références :
Sources
- 1. Commission presents declaration on digital rights and principles for the benefit of all in the Union
- 2. The full text of the declaration on digital rights and principles for the benefit of all in the Union
- 3. Europe's Digital Decade: Commission maps out Europe's path to greater digital empowerment by 2030
