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Digital EU: the Good, the Bad — and the Ugly

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The European Union has impressive digital ambitions and an equally impressive array of initiatives, proposals, directives and regulations, all designed to make the bloc ‘fit for the digital age’.

DIGITAL INNOVATION

DIGITAL INNOVATION ‘DIGITAL EU’: THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY Currently, the dominant view in the EU is that if it wants to speak the language of digital power, it also needs diplomats who can speak that language. Patryk Pawlak: ‘The EU has kept its explicit criticism of practices such as internet shutdowns or the sales of surveillance technology to authoritarian regimes rather quiet’ First, to avoid ‘digital tribalism’ the EU needs a strategy to better engage with the Global South, including the emerging digital powers such as Brazil, Egypt, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Mexico, Singapore, South Africa, and Senegal, countries which are expanding their influence in cyberspace but are not necessarily part of the like-minded formations. commitment to human rights online. But the EU has kept its explicit criticism of practices such as internet shutdowns or the sales of surveillance technology to authoritarian regimes rather quiet. Adopting a more coherent approach and a comprehensive use of all EU tools and instruments, including human rights and political dialogues with third countries, is important. promotes benefit everybody. In the age of geostrategic competition, leadership is demonstrated not by flexed muscles but by rolled-up sleeves and a willingness to cooperate globally. etration. With 2.7 billion people still offline, according to the International Telecommunication Union’s 2022 data, the biggest rise in online population in the coming decades will come from Africa, Asia Pacific, and Latin America. Developing regional or countryspecific cyber and digital roadmaps might provide a way forward. As this happens, these regions are expected to pay increasing attention to digital and cyber policies, including the regional agenda for digital transformation by the Organisation of American States, the ASEAN Digital Masterplan (2021-2025) or the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy for Africa (2020-2030). The EU needs to prioritise engagement with those regions to demonstrate the universality of the values it promotes, lead the way in ensuring common standards for the internet, secure market access, and secure their support in multilateral fora. Currently, the dominant view in the EU is that if it wants to speak the language of digital power, it also needs diplomats who can speak that language. More importantly, the EU needs to build an army of diplomats who can skilfully translate “EU-speak” into a universal and globally acceptable language. The EU Cyber Diplomacy Network – once operational – together with the EU networks of cyber and digital ambassadors will be the key vehicle to make this happen. But there are multiple challenges along the way. Second, to set norms and standards globally, the EU should regularly assess how its laws and policies – such as the recently announced cyber defence policy, the NIS II Directive or the ethical principles for AI – may impact other parts of the world. The external effects and unintended consequences for the global, free and open nature of cyberspace need to be anticipated. A proper external impact assessment and genuine consultations with international partners regarding the EU’s planned technology regulation would be a valuable tool. EU quiet on internet shutdowns Third, the EU needs to expand the use of the Cyber Diplomacy Toolbox to promote the EU’s vision for a “digital future” globally. Part of that vision is the EU’s Finally, the EU’s diplomatic service needs to become fluent in framing and reframing cyber and digital issues to better navigate and exploit the existing international regimes (i.e. trade, human rights, crime). This requires significant investment in strengthening skills and knowledge among the EU’s diplomats, starting from the very top. Only then the EU will be able to achieve its foreign and security policy goals within the existing (or new) international organisations. With some countries questioning the universality of the EU-promoted norms and values, re-stating their importance and building barricades to defend them will simply not work. Instead, to steer digital transformation globally and shape the future of cyberspace, the EU needs to opt for an ambitious and inclusive network diplomacy that demonstrates why the solutions, standards, and norms it About Patryk Pawlak Patryk Pawlak leads the work of the European Union Institute for Security Studies on cyber and digital issues. He is project director for the EU Cyber-Direct European Cyber Diplomacy Initiative, and co-editor of the Directions Blog on cyber, digital and tech issues. 49

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