Tech Leaders Advocate 25% EU Budget for Digital, Energy

Europe has incurred an estimated €50 billion in additional fuel costs since the Strait of Hormuz crisis began, prompting tech leaders to advocate for a significant reallocation of the EU budget. These leaders are proposing that 25% of the total EU budget be dedicated to securing Europe’s energy and digital future. This call comes as Europe faces rising energy costs and the imperative to strengthen its digital infrastructure, according to a report from Tech.eu.

The proposal aims to foster resilient energy systems and advanced digital capabilities across the continent. Related initiatives are already underway within the EU framework. The DigInvest4EU project, for instance, is convening discussions to shape future EU digital investments and inform policymaking for the upcoming European Commission term (2025-2029). This project seeks to align investments with priorities derived from existing programmes such as Horizon Europe and Digital Europe.

Further efforts are addressing the energy transition directly through digital innovation. The EU-DREAM project, which began in July 2024, focuses on accelerating the uptake of digital services to empower European consumers and communities in the energy transition. It aligns with the EU Action Plan on the Digitalisation of the Energy System, developing and testing next-generation energy services across six EU countries. Complementing this, the DSO4DT project, starting in January 2025, aims to accelerate the deployment of Digital Twins for the European electricity grid, contributing to grid digitalisation. These projects highlight ongoing investments in both energy and digital sectors to enhance Europe's strategic autonomy.

What this means: The push for a substantial EU budget allocation reflects a growing recognition of the interconnectedness between energy security and digital resilience, driven by recent geopolitical and economic pressures.