This article is part of the Special Report EUPress Collaborative Workshop: Special Report.
This article was created by a group of Italian, Spanish, Polish, and Romanian students from schools participating in the EU-funded EUPress project. It is the final product of the Collaborative Workshop, an international activity designed to simulate a real newsroom where students worked together to research, analyze, and communicate key European challenges. The topic assigned to this group was: “European digital and green transition challenge.”
The Collaborative Workshop brought together students from four different countries to work in international teams on real-world European topics. Over the course of several weeks, each group collaborated remotely to produce a journalistic “Special Report,” supported by teachers and coordinated by student editors. The goal was to help students develop essential civic, research, and communication skills while exploring major EU policies. The final articles are intended for publication on Euractiv.it and in a multilingual Didactic Notebook.
This article provides an accessible and well-structured overview of how the European Union is tackling the digital and green transitions — two of the most urgent and transformative challenges for Europe’s future. It begins by introducing the Digital Decade strategy, the Digital Compass, and the European Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles, explaining how they aim to shape a fair and inclusive digital transformation. It then explores the role of Artificial Intelligence and Automation in both public and private sectors, including the implications of the EU AI Act and the development of AI Factories.
On the environmental front, the article outlines the goals of the European Green Deal, including its carbon neutrality targets and mechanisms like the Just Transition Mechanism. It also touches on the EU’s efforts to create a more plastic-free economy, through strategies such as the Circular Economy Action Plan and the Single-Use Plastics Directive.
Through these topics, the students highlight the complexity of balancing innovation, sustainability, and social inclusion — a key challenge for the European Union in the years ahead.
The Need for a Digital Transition: The Eu Strategy
In March 2021, the Digital Decade was defined. It paves the path for a new transformation of both society and economy with the guidance of the 2030 Digital Compass.
The importance of improving the European Union to fit our “digital age” has lately been recognized, especially by the European Commission. They developed a strategy that was presented with the creation of the Digital Compass.
The European Digital Compass
The four cardinal points that constitute the Digital Compass are: improving digital skills to expand common technological knowledge to 80% of the population, transforming business especially with technological uptake, developing secure and sustainable digital infrastructures, for example by ensuring connectivity for everyone, and digitalizing public services like healthcare.
These designs are large-scale goals that single member states might be unable to reach on their own.
The cooperation cycle
To achieve these goals, a cooperation cycle with the member states and European Commission was organized, along with the Commission’s EU-level trajectories.
This mechanism guarantees a transparent monitoring system for each target, annual reports (the second one of which was published in July 2024), biennial “strategic roadmaps” in which each state displays its plans and actions for the Digital Decade, and finally, the institution of the European Digital Infrastructure Consortium to support the multi-country projects.
The European Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles
An addition to the original 2021 project was made in December 2022, when President Ursula von der Leyen signed the European Declaration on Digital Rights and Principles, which states that the EU aims for a human-centred, sustainable, and inclusive digital transition that will allow citizens to participate in a safe online space
Even though there is a long road ahead to transform Europe into a state-of-the-art digital Union, in 2026 the European Commission will review the targets to discuss developments in fields like technology and economy.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation
What is artificial intelligence and automation? Why are they important in today’s digital world?
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automation are often confused with each other, but they have different meanings. Artificial Intelligence is a technology that does tasks, with human instructions. It helps machines make decisions, comprehend, think, learn, or generate innovative ideas. Automation is the use of technology to do difficult or simple and repetitive tasks that. Machines are set to follow clear scripts and finish tasks without changing or learning new things.
AI and automation in industry
Automation and AI are important in today’s digital world because they help with personalization, for example, they present you content and services based on what you like. They also help with healthcare, because they help doctors quickly diagnose diseases like Alzheimer’s using machine and deep learning.
AI and Automation can do tasks faster than humans ever could. Since AI can operate 24/7 it can reduce costs by saving employee time spent. This means that tasks are completed quicker. Automation can replace jobs, but it can also provide new opportunities for others. Simple tasks may be done by machines instead of people, but, for example, programming robots or designing them, are jobs that automation made higher in demand.
AI and automation in public services
Education: AI can be meaningful in education and learning, because of personalized learning that adjusts lessons to fit each student’s needs. Teachers can also use Artificial Intelligence to oversee tasks like grading.
Smart cities: AI helps cities work better, because it can control things like traffic lights to make the roads more efficient.
Public transport: smart ticket systems and AI planning make travel easier. It helps buses or trains run on time and choose other routes in case of an accident. It can also help citizens pick the best route, using public transport.
The EU AI Act – new rules for Artificial Intelligence.
In August 2024, a new law named EU AI Act was introduced, it helps make artificial intelligence safe and fair for people.
It groups the systems of artificial intelligence into four risk groups:
Unacceptable AI is unauthorized (for instance: AI that controls people’s behaviour)
High-risk AI must follow strict rules (AI in healthcare or education)
Limited risk AI must be transparent (chatbots must tell you that they are AI)
Minimal-risk AI does not have rules (for example: AI in videogames)
EU wants AI to be safe and good for the economy, this law can protect people but also supports innovation in Europe
AI Factories in the European Union
Artificial Intelligence factories will help develop AI in Europe. Factories aim to make AI more advanced, so European Union plans to build six AI Factories in the following countries: Austria, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Poland, and Slovenia
Artificial Intelligence and Automation have many benefits, like helping people work faster, improving education, and business. However, they also bring challenges, like changes in the job market. People have to learn new skills and use AI responsibly to make our future better.
What is The European Green Deal?
In 2019 the European Commission launched the “European Green Deal”, an ambitious planthat should lead Europe to be carbon-neutral by 2050.
The project has been described by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, as a landmark response to climate change. She explained that the aim of the deal is to balance economic activity with environmental awareness, hence ensuring sustainable consumption and production.
The main objective of this plan is to reduce climate change, eliminate pollution, and set up a sustainable economic model in Europe in order to build a more prosperous society with less reliance on consumption and the depletion of natural resources.
The Deal also explores areas such as energy, transport, and agriculture, with the objective of making Europe a leading force in carbon-neutral technology and sustainable production.
It entails a set of policy initiatives, among which is the expected climate legislation that is to be implemented by the year 2023, and intends to increase the 2030 emission reduction targets from 40% to 50-55%.
The transition plan
The Just Transition Mechanism is implemented to ensure a seamless transition from fossil fuel consumption in areas with a predominantly fossil fuel-dependent consumption pattern.
In addition, the EU supports the introduction of carbon border tax, aiming to tax imported goods from countries with less stringent carbon laws, in order to obtain level playing conditions for EU industry and enhance global trade fairness.
The plan also involves yearly investments worth around 260 billion euros, which are instrumental in the quest to meet climate goals.
The obstacles
The project is expected to cause more friction among countries in Western Europe, whose focus is placed more strongly on the environment, against countries in Eastern Europe.
Countries such as the Czech Republic, Hungary and, Poland requested financial support in order to meet set targets, because of their dependence on carbon-emitting economies.
In addition, the policies are likely to spur rows with trade allies, especially the United States, whose former administration, Donald Trump, pulled out from the Paris climate accord.
Can the EU achieve a plastic-free economy?
What is a plastic-free economy?
Plastic-free is an expression meaning “free from Plastic” and a commitment to a more appropriate handling of this material.
Plastic-free is not Plastic-free world. Instead, it implies substituting or removing Plastic where Plastic is used for something disposable and are there alternatives on the market which are reusable, maintain hygiene, preservation, and integrity.
The reality of plastic and its effects.
Nobel laureate in Chemistry in 1974, Paul John Flory, characterized plastics as the material that “nature forgot to invent” due to their lightness, strength, impermeability, durability, and economic viability.
Plastic’s attributes have made it an ideal substitute for many natural materials. The rising economic prosperity, which has brought with it new needs for sanitation and food preservation among others, has made Plastic the leading material produced during the 20th century.
The application of plastics in food packaging, for instance, has enabled the extension of food preservation lifespans and thus the elimination of food wastage. Equally, its use in healthcare and logistics sectors has assisted in enhancing sanitation practices and transport networks.
In most industries, plastic continues to demonstrate its irreplaceability in the present context, primarily because other materials that provide the same functionality, particularly flexibility, hygiene, and cost-effectiveness, are not available. A clear illustration of this reality is observed in the medical device sector, where substitution with alternative materials is not viewed as a feasible alternative.
Additionally, it must be acknowledged that most non-disposable plastics like office equipment and office furniture are of lesser environmental impact because they have an exceptionally long life and extensive applications. Therefore, the campaigns of Plastic-free primarily focus on single-use items.
How does the EU move towards a plastic-free?
The European Union is already midway through many plastic-free projects to vastly reduce plastic waste. Member states, guided by deals and plans, such as the European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan aim to enhance recycling and lessen both plastic and microplastic pollution. An example of a somewhat recent directive EU citizens experienced firsthand is the Single-Use Plastics Directive, which banned certain disposable products and promoted the use of alternatives.
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EUPress Collaborative Workshop: La sfida europea della transizione digitale e verde
Questo articolo fa parte dello Special Report EUPress Collaborative Workshop: Special Report.
L’articolo è stato realizzato da un gruppo di studenti italiani, spagnoli, polacchi e romeni delle scuole partecipanti al progetto EUPress, finanziato dall’UE. È il risultato finale del Collaborative Workshop, un’attività internazionale concepita per simulare una vera redazione, in cui gli studenti hanno lavorato insieme per ricercare, analizzare e comunicare le principali sfide europee. Il tema assegnato a questo gruppo era: “La sfida europea della transizione digitale e verde”.
Il Collaborative Workshop ha riunito studenti di quattro paesi diversi per lavorare in team internazionali su temi europei di attualità. Nel corso di alcune settimane, ciascun gruppo ha collaborato a distanza per produrre un “Rapporto Speciale” giornalistico, supportato da insegnanti e coordinato da student editor. L’obiettivo era aiutare gli studenti a sviluppare competenze civiche, di ricerca e comunicazione, approfondendo al tempo stesso le principali politiche dell’UE. Gli articoli finali saranno pubblicati su Euractiv.it e in un Quaderno Didattico multilingue.
Questo articolo offre una panoramica accessibile e strutturata su come l’Unione europea stia affrontando le transizioni digitale e verde — due tra le sfide più urgenti e trasformative per il futuro dell’Europa. Inizia illustrando la strategia Decennio Digitale, la Bussola Digitale e la Dichiarazione europea sui diritti e principi digitali, spiegando come queste iniziative intendano modellare una trasformazione digitale equa e inclusiva. Prosegue poi analizzando il ruolo dell’Intelligenza Artificiale e dell’automazione nei settori pubblico e privato, compreso l’impatto dell’AI Act dell’UE e lo sviluppo delle cosiddette AI Factories.
Sul fronte ambientale, l’articolo descrive gli obiettivi del Green Deal europeo, compreso il traguardo della neutralità climatica e meccanismi come il Meccanismo per una transizione giusta. Si sofferma inoltre sugli sforzi dell’UE per creare un’economia meno dipendente dalla plastica, attraverso strategie come il Piano d’azione per l’economia circolare e la Direttiva sulla plastica monouso.
Attraverso questi temi, gli studenti evidenziano la complessità di bilanciare innovazione, sostenibilità e inclusione sociale — una sfida chiave per l’Unione europea negli anni a venire.
References:
https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/europe-fit- digital-age/europes-digital-decade-digital-targets-2030_en
https://www.edutopia.org/article/7-ai-tools-that-help-teachers-work-more-efficiently/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8754556/
https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/ai-factories
https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/regulatory-framework-ai
https://nordregio.org/research-topics/green-transition/
https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/plastics_en
https://www.iea.org/regions/europe/emissions
Students Journalists:
Zuzanna Porębska
Nikodem Bruszewski
Cristina Stanciu
Ana Carina Luca
Marina Barco Iglesias
Marisa Solcan Istrate
Gaia Gori
Asia Badii
Eleonora De Fonseca
Cecilia Ammiraglia
Silenzi Livia
Students editors:
Helena Nowacka
Karolina Wojciuszkiewicz
Marcel Michalak
