21 Nov Event recap: Making EU funding work for digital inclusion 2025
21 Nov, 2025
On 20 November 2025, more than 50 digital inclusion experts, policymakers, and community leaders gathered at the Government of Catalonia Representation to the EU for All Digital’s policy debate – Making EU funding work for digital inclusion.
Together, we explored what digital inclusion could and should look like by 2045, and what Europe needs to put in place today to make that future possible. Central to the debate was a shared message: the next generation of EU funding must truly support the organisations working every day to close the digital gap and ultimately the 44% of Europeans who still lack basic digital skills.
Setting the scene: A reflection on the future of digital inclusion
The debate opened with a reflection moderated by David Mekkaoui, CEO of All Digital, featuring:
- Andreea Dima, Director, MAKS — highlighting frontline experiences in citizen digital upskilling.
- Elisa Gambardella, Education & Lifelong Learning Coordinator, SOLIDAR — emphasising a just transition and inclusive digital futures.
- Alba Soler Turull, Senior Innovation Project Manager, i2CAT — bringing the perspective of regional innovation and Catalonia’s experience.
Policy outlook: How can EU funding evolve?
A second panel moderated by Brikena Xhomaqi, Director of the Lifelong Learning Platform, focused on the future of EU policy and funding. Speakers included:
- Georgi Dimitrov, Head of Unit Digital Education, DG EAC — outlining opportunities and challenges in shaping EU digital learning policy.
- Leo Kilroy, Education and Skills Attaché, Ireland’s Permanent Representation to the EU — connecting national priorities with EU level funding.
- Jan Büscher, Co Director General, La Mednum — sharing recent national mobilisation in France for renewed investment in digital inclusion, co signed by All Digital.
Key insights from speakers and participants
During the debate, several important reflections emerged from speakers and participants:
- Digital skills, equitable access, and age-specific needs remain core EU priorities.
- AI literacy is becoming as foundational as basic digital skills, and access to AI compute will be central to future digitalisation.
- Provision of digital skills with socio-emotional competences is essential for digital citizenship and active participation to the society
- Small frontline organisations need tailored, multiannual support, and civil society must be at the table when funding is designed.
- Digital competence centres need investment to answer the overwhelming demand coming from citizens to acquire digital skills.
- Funding access remains should be simplified — implementation capacity, administrative burdens, and fragmentation across programmes are limiting impact.
- Digital inclusion is not yet a strategic objective across the MFF, but the European Social Fund has untapped potential — especially if access and data collection are improved.
- Better coordination across EU funding programmes is essential.
- Regions should be equally empowered for digitalisation — Europe risks evolving at two different speeds, with some regions and groups falling further behind.
- Public-private partnerships and local-national collaboration can make funding more effective and closer to the communities that need it most.
Across Europe, one message stands out: the EU’s next long-term budget is a key opportunity to make this happen.
The path to 2045: Designing with people, not just for them
Across Europe, one message stands out: to close the digital gap, we must rethink our tools, invest in people, and design solutions with, not only for the communities we serve.
The EU’s next long term budget represents a crucial opportunity to embed this vision into policy and investment. We all share a responsibility to shape this future.
Join the next steps
Thank you to everyone who contributed time, ideas, and expertise.
We look forward to continuing the conversation and working together for a digitally inclusive Europe. Join our upcoming events:
- All Digital Weeks: 9–25 March 2026
- All Digital Summit, Belgrade: 22–24 September 2026
