Europe’s Digital Decade, a policy programme by the European Commission, sets targets to guide Europe’s digital transformation. These targets are to be achieved by 2030 in four areas:

• Skills
• Digital transformation of businesses
• Secure and sustainable digital infrastructures
• Digitalisation of public services

Multi-Country Projects (MCPs)

To reach the digital targets and objectives, the European Commission aims to accelerate and facilitate the launch of multi-country projects (MCPs), large-scale projects that no single Member State could develop on its own. MCPs can be implemented in various ways such as Joint Undertakings (JUs), European Research Infrastructure Consortia (ERICs), the Union’s agencies, independently by the Member States concerned, through the execution of Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEIs) or through other appropriate implementation mechanisms.  

European Digital Infrastructure Consortia (EDICs)

The Digital Decade Policy Programme also introduced a new form to implement MCPs: European Digital Infrastructure Consortia (EDICs). EDICs are meant to speed up and simplify the setup and implementation of MCPs.

Each EDIC is a legal person established by a Commission decision upon the application of at least three Member States and Commission approval. The founding Member States define the EDIC´s governance structure and other functioning rules in the Statutes. Its budget will be based on its members’ contributions complemented by other sources of revenues, which may include EU and national grants. The seat of an EDIC is in a participating Member State and its legal personality must be recognised by all Member States.

An EDIC may implement a multi-country project by deploying joint infrastructure, delivering services and bringing together – as considered appropriate by the founding Member States – public entities, private entities, end users and industry.

Member States hold the majority of votes in the members' assembly, which gives them a decisive role in the governance of each EDIC. Specifically, Member States have the flexibility to tailor the internal structure of each EDIC, including members' contributions, voting rights, governance bodies, and other aspects of implementation and governance, through the customisation of EDIC statutes. EDICs will stay open to the participation of all Member States on fair and reasonable terms throughout their duration.

As an implementation mechanism for multi-country projects, EDICs can be used both for establishing of new infrastructures and operating existing ones (provided that joining the consortium adds value to ongoing activities, such as enhancing sustainability over time).

Existing and planned EDICs:

The following EDICs have been set up:

• Alliance for Language Technologies European Digital Infrastructure Consortium (ALT-EDIC)
• Networked Local Digital Twins towards CitiVERSE (LDT CitiVERSE EDIC)
• EDIC for European Blockchain Partnership and European Blockchain Service Infrastructure (EUROPEUM-EDIC)

Planned EDICs:

• IMPACTS EDIC – linking public authorities’ services to achieve the objectives of the Interoperable Europe Act
• Cybersecurity Skills Coalition (CSC) EDIC
• EDIC for Mobility and Logistics Data
• Genomes EDIC
• Digital Commons EDIC
• Agri-food EDIC
• Cancer Images Europe