The Lisbon Council for Economic Competitiveness and Social Renewal is a Brussels-based think tank and policy network. Established in 2003 in Belgium as a nonprofit, nonpartisan association, the group is dedicated to making a positive contribution through cutting-edge research and by engaging political leaders and the public at large in a constructive exchange about the economic and social challenges of the 21st century.
In a new discussion paper, President and Co-founder Paul Hofheinz and Deputy Director and Senior Fellow Luukas K. Ilves take a look at the coming challenge – and strategic advantage – for a renewed European digital agenda under the incoming European Commission. The discussion paper looks at three key tests Europe faces: 1) An incomplete single market; 2) an incomplete digital society, and 3) the absence of global digital champions coming from within Europe and proposes an Eight-Point Action Plan for the European institutions and the incoming European Commission. Among the key recommendations are “complete the single market,” upgrade the digital AND the single-market dossiers in a commission restructuring, use co-creation and “design thinking” in policymaking and commit to an “Every European Digital” programme to end Europe’s digital divide.