THE FUTURE IS HERE: THE EUROPEAN PLAN FOR A DIGITAL WORLD

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The European Union (EU) is actively working to shape the future of new technologies in accordance with EU values, fundamental rights and legislative regulations. Cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the Metaverse are among the most prominent areas of focus. The EU's approach to these fields is to ensure that technology is developed and used in an ethical and trustworthy way, while fostering innovation and economic growth.

Cybersecurity
Over the years, the EU has published several documents in the field of cybersecurity, most notably the "EU Cybersecurity Strategy" in 2013. This strategy provided a framework for EU actions to enhance cybersecurity, including through the development of a common set of safety standards and the strengthening of international cooperation.
In April 2019, the European Commission adopted the "EU Cybersecurity Act" which aimed to strengthen the European cybersecurity thanks to the establishment of the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) and also introducing the certification of products, processes and services and the creation of a European certification framework. The "EU Cybersecurity Act" also establishes the Cybersecurity Certification Group and the Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT).
In September 2020, the European Commission adopted the "EU Cybersecurity Strategy 2020-2024", which builds on the 2013 strategy and defines the EU's vision and priorities on cybersecurity, focusing on key issues such as infrastructure, 5G and IoT security, and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in cybersecurity. The strategy also underlines the importance of investing in cybersecurity research and innovation and building a strong cybersecurity culture.

Artificial Intelligence
The EU has also published several key documents in the field of artificial intelligence. The "Artificial Intelligence White Paper - A European Approach to Excellence and Trust" was released in 2018, outlining the EU's approach to the development and use of AI. The document underlines the importance of creating a European trustworthy ecosystem based on artificial intelligence, where AI is developed and used in a way that respects EU values, fundamental rights and regulations.
In 2018, the "European Strategy for Artificial Intelligence" was presented, aimed at establishing the EU as a world leader in AI and ensuring that the technology is developed and used in an ethical and trustworthy way. This strategy requires the development of a comprehensive legal framework for AI, including the establishment of a regulatory framework for high-risk AI systems and a legal framework for the liability of AI systems.
In December 2020, the EU Commission released the "Communication on Artificial Intelligence - A European approach to excellence and trust" which sets out a comprehensive approach to the development and use of AI in the EU, addressing various aspects such as governance, ethics, research and innovation, standardization and international cooperation. It also covers a series of actions and initiatives in order to create an ecosystem for trusted AI and provides a comprehensive overview of EU decisions made to date and future plans in the field of AI.

EU Metaverse strategy
The EU has not officially released a metaverse strategy yet, however the European Commission has announced a new strategy to explore the idea of a potential European metaverse. A metaverse is a shared virtual space, created by the convergence of physical reality and virtual reality, where users interact in real time. The EU strategy for the metaverse should focus on several key areas including: research and innovation, governance and regulation, ethical considerations, and economic and social impact. The EU is also actively working to explore the potential of the metaverse through various initiatives, partnerships and research projects, such as the EU's H2020 program and the EU Blockchain Observatory and Forum, which is monitoring the development of virtual worlds and blockchain-based applications.

The future is here
Cybersecurity sector has been constantly growing lately. Everyday cyber attacks are on the agenda. The latest researches present worrying statistics indeed. During the past years, the total amount of data created has soared, mostly due to the expansion of the Internet of Things (IoT). The data market is therefore growing dramatically and, according to the latest estimates, is going to reach a value of $103 billion by 2027. Here are some figures about the ongoing digital transformation:

Businesses generate approximately 2,000,000,000,000,000,000 bytes of data per day.
97.2% of companies invest in AI and Big Data.
About 95% of companies report an inability to understand and manage unstructured data.
Only about 26% of companies say they have achieved a data-driven culture.
94% of malwares is delivered via email.
85% of cybersecurity breaches are caused by human errors.
A ransomware attack occurs every 10 seconds.
Cybercrime's annual global losses are expected to reach $10.5 trillion by 2025.

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