How can the digital transformation serve the public interest? Civil society publishes joint EU Manifesto

How to shape the next decade of digital transformation in Europe in the best public interest? This was the subject of a series of civil society workshops that have been organized in Brussels since November 2018 and in which AGE participated. The workshops were hosted by the Open Society European Policy Institute (OSEPI) and the European Consumer Organization (BEUC) in Brussels. Together we drafted a ‘Human-centric digital manifesto for Europe’.

Making people a matter-first in innovation policies

In this age of rapid transformation and an increasing loss of trust, the European Union has a unique opportunity to shape the digital transformation and position itself as a global leader and ambitious norm-setter that puts people and the public interest back at the centre of the 21st century revolution. To reach that objective all stakeholders need to work together and develop appropriate public policy, corporate responsibility, social investment, legal reform and technological innovation.

The manifesto is calling on the next European Commission to move beyond the current focus on the digital single market and individual privacy, to look at the wider societal impact of digital technologies. Ensure that existing offline rights are protected online requires a strong commitment to rights-based policies and regulation based on the principles of human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, rule of law, human rights, solidarity, justice, inclusion and non-discrimination, which underpin the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Supporting the work of the future European Commission

From the announcements made so far by the European Commission’s President-elected, Ursula von der Leyen, and the mission letters to the commissioners-designate, there is a clear move towards mainstreaming digital issues across the European Commission. AGE is confident that the Manifesto led by OSEPI and BEUC will be of great support for the next steps of the European Commission.

You can read here the full version of the Human-Centric Digital Manifesto.

AGE Platform Europe is particularly committed to working on the impact of new technologies for older persons’ daily life:

• We supported the report of the UN Independent Expert on the impact of robotics and assistive technologies on older persons’ human rights.
• With our involvement in the Euroageism project and the collaboration with researchers, we will further explore the interlinkages between new technologies and ageism.
• We are also very much involved and committed to securing the rights of older persons in relation to the digitalisation of financial services and to preventing further inequalities in promoting available, accessible and affordable new technologies.
• Our involvement in Horizon 2020 project focusing on new assistive technologies supports our advocacy work for more user involvement in the concept, design and development of new IT solutions.

For more information, please contact Julia Wadoux, julia.wadoux@age-platform.eu