Europe and the Digital Economy: How can it Expand Faster?

Europe, it is said, is a digital laggard. In some ways, it is obvious. Access to superfast mobile or broadband access, for instance, is poor in many parts of Europe, including regions that consider themselves to be prosperous and developed. In other ways it misses the point. Some European leaders, including the current Digital Commissioner, complain that the passport of many digital services and platforms are foreign and hence pose threats to Europe’s digital independence. But Europe is hardly a laggard because foreign firms have expanded too fast in Europe. Europe’s expansion of the digital economy has been fast. However, it could expand even faster – and policy should be designed to assist acceleration. But what policy is currently holding back digital expansion and innovation in Europe’s economy? What can policymakers do to support greater digital expansion, innovation and competition? We asked 12 opinion formers in Europe to share their views – and over the next few weeks they will be published here and discussed at an event in Brussels.

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Read the latest blogs: 

Corporation Tax and the Digital Single Market by Diego Zuluaga, Institute of Economic Affairs & EPICENTER

Net Freedom Instead of Net Neutrality For a Successful Digital Market by Cécile Philippe, Director, Institut économique Molinari

Are Europeans Ready to Embrace the Digital Society? by Alastair Reed, Renaud Thillaye, Policy Network

The Case for a European Data Policy by Richard Robert, Executive Director, ParisTech Review

Manufacturing the future: Industry 4.0 by Martina F. Ferracane, ECIPE

Unleash Entrepreneurial Discovery for Development of Real Digital Economy by Meelis Kitsing, a lecturer at the Estonian Business School, Director of the Centre for Free Economic Thought

The European Market is a Common Market by Serena Sileoni, Deputy Director, Instituto Bruno Leoni