European Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles for the Digital Decade

Summary:

Communication published by the European Commission on 26 January 2022, setting out a Declaration on European Digital Rights and Principles.

Further information:

In March 2021, the European Commission laid out its vision for the European Union's digital transformation by 2030. In September 2021, a governance framework was introduced to ensure that the digital targets were achieved. The draft declaration on digital rights and principles aims to give everyone a clear reference point about the kind of digital transformation Europe promotes and defends.

The proposed Declaration covers key rights and principles for the digital transformation, such as placing people and their rights at its centre, supporting solidarity and inclusion, ensuring the freedom of choice online, fostering participation in the digital public space, increasing safety, security and empowerment of individuals, and promoting the sustainability of the digital future. The Declaration is rooted in EU law.

The draft Declaration was published by the Commission on 26 January 2022, alongside a Communication concerning the implementation of this Declaration.

Official

European Commission: Policies: European Digital Rights and Principles https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/digital-principles

European Commission: Digital Strategy: Library: Declaration on European Digital Rights and Principles https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/declaration-european-digital-rights-and-principles

European Commission: Press Release, 26/01/2022: Commission puts forward declaration on digital rights and principles for everyone in the EU https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_22_452

European Commission: Speech by Executive Vice-President Vestager on the Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles (26 January 2022) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_22_625

---

News

Reuters, 26/01/2022: EU proposes digital rights, principles in global first https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu-proposes-digital-rights-principles-global-first-2022-01-26/

City AM, 26/01/2022: EU aims to be ‘torchbearer’ introducing digital rights and principles https://www.cityam.com/eu-aims-to-be-torchbearer-introducing-digital-rights-and-principles/

Politico, 26/01/2022: Europe pitches tech ‘principles’ to rule the internet https://www.politico.eu/article/europe-tech-principles-internet-rules-digital-rights/

EurActiv, 26/01/2022: European Commission puts forth EU’s values and principles for the digital age https://www.euractiv.com/section/digital/news/european-commission-puts-forth-eus-values-and-principles-for-the-digital-age/

EUObserver, 27/01/2022: EU Commission wants to set world's first digital standards https://euobserver.com/democracy/154207

---

Commentary and Analysis

The Digital Constitutionalist, 02/02/2022: The Declaration on European Digital Rights and Principles. A First Analysis from Digital Constitutionalism https://digi-con.org/the-declaration-on-european-digital-rights-and-principles-a-first-analysis-from-digital-constitutionalism/

EurActiv: Opinion, 04/02/2022: Towards an EU Charter for Digital Rights: Open letter to the Presidents of the European Commission, the European Council and the European Parliament https://www.euractiv.com/section/digital/opinion/towards-an-eu-charter-for-digital-rights-open-letter-to-the-presidents-of-the-european-commission-the-european-council-and-the-european-parliament/

European Confederation of Independent Trade Unions (CESI), 04/02/2022: A new EU Declaration on digital rights and principles must include work & employment https://www.cesi.org/posts/a-new-eu-declaration-on-digital-rights-and-principles-must-include-work-employment/

Project Syndicate, 07/02/2022: Declaring Our Digital Rights (text by EU Commissioner Margrethe Vestager) https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/eu-declaration-digital-rights-and-principles-by-margrethe-vestager-2022-02

Dublin City University: Brexit Institute: News, 07/02/2022: Towards a European Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles: Guidelines for the Digital Decade https://dcubrexitinstitute.eu/2022/02/towards-a-european-declaration-on-digital-rights-and-principles-guidelines-for-the-digital-decade/

EUCRIM: News, 25/02/2022: Commission Proposes Declaration on European Digital Rights and Principles https://eucrim.eu/news/commission-proposes-declaration-on-european-digital-rights-and-principles/

---