| Annotation |
This article analyzes the spatial aspects of the digital inequality in the EU and
its impact on the competitiveness of its members. The object of the study is the strategic
planning documents of the EU countries in the context of the digital inclusion/
inclusion stimulation agenda. The subject of the research is the digital inequality of
the EU countries through the prism of their positions in the international ratings of
digitalization and competitiveness. The aim of the study is to assess the relationship
between the target indicators of digitalization level in the national strategies of the EU countries (in the aspect of reducing the digital divide between countries) and
their competitiveness, which is assessed through the positions of countries in the
international rankings of the World Economic Forum and the Institute for Management
Development. The objectives of the study included the development of criteria
and approaches for the analysis of strategic planning documents of EU countries;
analysis of digital transformation strategies and economic recovery and resilience
plans of EU countries for the place of the agenda to combat the digital divide / stimulate
digital equality, as well as comparing the obtained evaluations of strategies with
international benchmarks of competitiveness and digital transformation. The results
of the study showed that the digital divide agenda has the highest priority in Ireland,
Luxembourg and France. In addition, the author’s classification of the digital competitiveness
of the EU countries, considering the policies to promote digital equality, was
formed, according to which the most competitive countries in terms of digitalization
are Denmark, the Netherlands and Ireland, and the least competitive are Slovakia,
Hungary and Croatia. Thus, the hypothesis was confirmed: the more competitive EU
countries prioritize the agenda of combating the digital divide more than the “catching
up” EU members in terms of competitiveness. Moreover, the four groups of countries
in the EU identified according to the classification confirm the idea of imbalances
within the EU along the north-west-south-east lines, with the exceptions being Austria,
Portugal and Estonia. |
| Key words |
digital inequality, digital
divide, digital economy, digital
transformation, digitalization
strategies, international
competitiveness rating, EU
Next Generation program,
economic sustainability,
spatial inequality, European
Union |
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