As Europe prepares for a decisive decade of digital transformation, one of its most influential voices is calling for speed, unity, and investment. Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl, Director-General of DIGITALEUROPE—the continent’s largest industry association for the digitalising sectors, representing over 45,000 companies across 35 countries—was in Nicosia for the NTA Digital Europe Summit, hosted by CITEA earlier this month. Digital Tree was the media sponsor of the event.

Speaking to FastForward, Bonefeld-Dahl reflects on the outcomes of the Summit, the growing role of Cyprus ahead of its EU Council Presidency, and the continent’s race to stay competitive amid rising global tensions. The Director-General argues that Europe is nearing a digital turning point. To seize it, she says, the EU must “cut, simplify, and incentivise”—focusing on investment in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and digital skills to protect its infrastructure, strengthen its economy, and shape the future of democracy itself.

I was delighted to be there with our strong network of national associations, bringing together 41 national associations from 30 European countries - a community that goes well beyond the EU.

CITEA is a particularly active member of this network, and last week's programme really reflected their ambition and commitment. Together, we designed a rich agenda that not only looks ahead to the upcoming Presidency but also provided a platform to discuss what matters most for Cyprus and Brussels, now and in the months to come.

Some days ago, on 30 September, I had the pleasure of meeting with the Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry, Giorgos Papanastasiou, at the “Single Market Strategy: Bigger, better, faster, more” event in Brussels. We discussed the Single Market Strategy, including the urgent need to advance a European defence single market and strengthen our digital resilience. This underlines Cyprus’s strong commitment to making the Single Market Strategy a reality and contributing to Europe’s defence and competitiveness. I have met with Deputy Minister of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, Dr. Nicodemos Damianou, to exchange views on Cyprus’s upcoming priorities for its Presidency. We also discussed how we can deepen cooperation between Cyprus and Brussels on shared priorities such as digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, and research excellence.

Last week, you saw top leaders from Cyprus and from our national associations coming together. I am proud of the synergies we were able to create at this level, connecting stakeholders who can truly shape Europe’s digital future.

Together with our members, DIGITALEUROPE develops strategic recommendations for policymakers, and we work hard to ensure these priorities are high on the agenda in Brussels and across EU capitals.

First, the upcoming digital omnibus, expected next month, is very promising. It is about simplification and reducing burdens, and Cyprus will play a leading role in the negotiations.

Second, massive investments are needed in AI and critical technologies, both in the upcoming EU budget and in the shorter term. We see real momentum with the European CEO AI and Tech Declaration, launched in September, which has gained strong support from the start. This Declaration was signed by 41 CEOs from Europe’s industrial and technology companies and national trade associations, calling for an ambitious new public-private partnership to restore Europe’s global competitiveness and strengthen our security. Our goal is to continue gathering signatories and political leaders, aiming for broad endorsement by February 2026 at our Masters of Digital in Brussels, just as the Cyprus Presidency will be in full swing.

Third, defence and resilience remain urgent priorities. Protecting critical infrastructure requires immediate investment. The political will is there: President von der Leyen has championed Readiness 2030 and the SAFE programme, unlocking already €150 billion in loans. At the same time, innovation in dual-use technologies is advancing rapidly, and we have much to learn from Ukraine, where the speed of innovation has been unprecedented.

We cannot afford to spend years debating the way forward. Europe’s critical infrastructure is under attack in several countries right now. We must mobilise investments with both short- and long-term perspectives to protect our continent. Alongside Readiness 2030 and SAFE, the Competitiveness Fund and the MFF are also crucial instruments to make this happen.

Standards are the lifeblood of both the single market and markets across the globe. Not only do harmonised European standards ensure conformity with union legislation, but they also contribute to the competitiveness of Europe by allowing access to global markets. With geopolitical challenges, safeguarding critical technologies is even important and standards play a crucial role here. Through the High-Level Forum on European Standardisation, we are working on defining the strategic path in which standards for AI, cybersecurity, DPP, quantum and other critical technologies ensure European competitiveness in international markets. 

Perhaps the most vivid example is Europe's leadership in connectivity, specifically mobile communications.  A single European standard enabled the world to connect and communicate, sparking global collaboration and innovation. Today, Europe’s stronger footprint in international standardisation for critical technologies, from AI and cybersecurity to manufacturing, semiconductors, energy, health and quantum, is urgently needed. In the global contest between democracy and autocracy, the side that leads in technological innovation will shape the future. History has proven this time and again.

We need to make sure that adoption happens on the ground. It is not only about getting the rules right, but also about looking closely at how we invest in this vital technology.

Here, Cyprus is showing real leadership. CITEA is one of the founding signatories of the European AI & Tech Declaration I mentioned above.

President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen explicitly endorsed our initiative in her State of the European Union address, where I had the honour of handing her the Declaration in Strasbourg. She underlined: ‘This is the commitment of European tech champions to invest in Europe’s tech sovereignty.’

This is a strong signal that both business and political leaders agree: Europe must create the right conditions to unlock the investments we urgently need.

We need to ensure adoption on the ground. One thing is ensuring that the rules are appropriate and proportionate to actual business cases; and we also need a closer look on how we invest in this vital technology.

We see dozens of emerging use cases every day, covering more digitalising sectors. Here’s two:

• AI-assisted leak detection for energy and supply infrastructure. Currently, ~25% of treated water is lost during distribution in the EU. We could save billions of euros if leaks are identified early.

• AI screening during doctor appointments, to help doctors identify faster potential treatments, as patients explain their symptoms. Our future unicorn Corti is one example.

The digital skills gap is one of Europe’s biggest competitiveness challenges. Today, we have 10.3 million ICT specialists, less than half of the EU’s 2030 target of 20 million, and only 19.5% are women. At the same time, 54% of European companies say skills shortages are their top concern, even ahead of administrative burdens.

Industry must take the lead. We need to bring business, unions and academia together on the new High-Level Skills Board, and connect this work to the upcoming Skills Intelligence Observatory, to ensure training truly matches market needs.

We should also make skills portable and trusted. An EU Digital Skills Passport recognising industry certifications and EU-level micro-credentials would help workers move and grow across borders.

I believe closing the gap starts early. Only 35% of EU primary schools have good digital equipment and just 11% have high-speed internet. Investing EU funds to modernise schools is essential.

Finally, we must tackle the cyber talent shortage: Europe should train at least 300,000 cybersecurity specialists by 2030 and scale up initiatives like the CyberHubs.

Incentivising lifelong learning, mobility and recognition of skills across Europe will ensure every citizen and company can thrive in the digital decade.

As we have said repeatedly: we need to cut, simplify and incentivise. This means a two-legged approach: creating the right framework conditions, both in terms of the rulebook and the incentives.

We must simplify and put the right incentives in place. There is every reason to believe that Europe can succeed, even in today’s changing geopolitical context. We have real strengths in critical technologies, from energy tech, connectivity, and drones, to our world-class research, skills, and innovative companies.

I believe we are close to a turning point. By that I mean fewer administrative burdens, more coders and engineers, and ultimately more investment and innovation.

The recent reports by Mario Draghi and Enrico Letta have made this clear to everyone, and there is strong political will across Europe. The real test now is speed, how quickly we can turn vision and recommendations into action. I believe we can do it, but change must happen now, and fast. Europe cannot afford to wait another five years.

What: DIGITALEUROPE

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