Context
The National Digital Strategy (Estratégia Digital Nacional – EDN) positions Portugal as a European leader in digital transformation, promoting an inclusive, sustainable, and ethical transition. This strategic framework aims to simplify digital interaction between citizens, businesses, and the State, guaranteeing the protection of fundamental rights and universal access to digital technologies. Aligned with the European Union’s Digital Decade 2030 programme, the EDN prioritises inclusion, sustainability, and responsible innovation, ensuring that digital technology is an opportunity for all and not just a tool for a few.
Objectives
Portugal is poised to become a leading player in the European digital landscape. However, to capitalise on Portugal’s digital potential, a more comprehensive approach is necessary addressing address both strengths and areas for development. Firstly, the strengthening of digital skills as the percentage of citizens with basic digital skills is still below what is necessary to ensure universal and successful digital inclusion. The main goal is the acquisition of knowledge and providing every individual with the skills required in this new era. Also, it is vital that the country ensures that the necessary tools are in place to promote an effective reduction of inequalities, ensuring that digital transformation does not become a factor of social exclusion. Artificial Intelligence stands as a great opportunity. This strategy acknowledges and emphasises the pivotal role that AI will play in Portugal’s digital future, with an escalating significance across all sectors of society. The transformation extends beyond technology and its development. Digital transformation is a catalyst for achieving a more prosperous, inclusive, and sustainable society for Portugal. This is a journey where each step is guided by fundamental principles: inclusion and equality, transparency and trust, environmental sustainability, security, ethics, efficiency, and collaboration.
Implementation
The architecture of the Portugal Digital Strategy comprises the following elements:
- vision: Portugal’s ambition for 2030 in the digital domain;
- guiding principles: cross-cutting pillars of guidance for the strategy;
- dimensions: areas of focus and classification for the initiatives of the strategy, aligned with the architecture of the ‘Digital Decade’;
- strategic objectives – overall objectives to be accomplished by 2030 to fulfil the vision;
- targets: concrete SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-based) targets aligned with the strategic objectives;
- initiatives: coordinated programmes that include various initiatives to achieve the established objectives, as outlined in action plans and translated into actions to be implemented by 2030;
- actions: concrete measures framed within the presented initiatives identifying the involved entities, implementation plans, performance indicators, impact indicators, and investment values.
The Portugal Digital Strategy will be executed through biannual action plans, which will be reviewed as required. The action plans will detail the actions to be implemented for each initiative of the strategy.