As digital technologies evolve at unprecedented speed and are underpinned by recent EU regulatory initiatives, standards have become the backbone of Europe’s digital sovereignty. They ensure that innovations, from AI and quantum computing to data and cybersecurity, are interoperable, secure, and trusted across the Single Market and globally. In an era marked by geopolitical tensions, shifting global alliances, and rapid technological disruption, the ability to shape international ICT standards is not just a technical matter but a strategic priority for Europe’s competitiveness and autonomy.

Building on the success of its previous editions, the EU-funded StandICT.eu 2029 project officially kicked off in October 2025. With a budget of €4.2 million, it will financially support more than 300 European experts contributing to international and European Standards Development Organisations (SDOs) such as ETSI, CEN-CENELEC, ISO, or IEC. Through its Open Calls, the project will provide direct financial support to these experts, ensuring that European values and priorities are represented where critical ICT standards are developed.

Beyond funding, StandICT.eu 2029 will advance a comprehensive set of initiatives designed to strengthen Europe’s capacity in standardisation. The StandICT Academy offers training resources while the Mentorship Programme will connect experienced professionals with newcomers to build the next generation of ICT standardisation leaders. At the same time, technical working groups and landscape analyses will continue to map standardisation gaps in emerging technologies, ensuring that Europe remains proactive and coordinated in global fora. Central to this ecosystem is the newly established Foresight Committee Board (FCB), coordinated by DIGITAL SME, which will bring together SDO representatives, policymakers, and experts to monitor technological trends, provide the priorities for the project’s open calls and channel findings into EU policy processes such as the Rolling Plan for ICT Standardisation and the work of the Multi-Stakeholder Platform on ICT Standardisation.

A strategic response to Europe’s digital and geopolitical challenges

In recent years, the EU has positioned itself as a global rule-setter through landmark digital policies, which rely on timely, high-quality ICT standards to operationalise compliance. The European Commission’s Standardisation Strategy, Annual Union Work Programme (AUWP), and Rolling Plan for ICT Standardisation all reflect the need for strong coordination between policy and standards. The 2025 editions outline hundreds of standardisation actions in domains such as the data economy, cybersecurity, AI, e-privacy, and quantum —areas where StandICT.eu 2029 will directly contribute by supporting European expertise and meeting regulatory needs.

By funding expert participation, supporting foresight analysis, and linking policy with implementation, StandICT.eu 2029 helps ensure that European standards keep pace with legislation and that Europe continues to project its democratic values, technological autonomy, and market priorities into the global ICT ecosystem.

DIGITAL SME: putting SMEs at the heart of Europe’s standardisation effort

As a key partner, DIGITAL SME leads the Foresight Committee Board, SME capacity-building activities, and the Mentorship Programme, reinforcing its mission to make ICT standardisation accessible and impactful for Europe’s SMEs.

Standards are never neutral: they mirror the strengths and priorities of those who shape them. Non-participation means leaving decisions to others, often resulting in frameworks ill-suited to the realities of smaller businesses. For years, DIGITAL SME has been promoting an inclusive vision that ensures standards truly serve Europe’s innovation ecosystem and digital sovereignty.

Through StandICT.eu 2029, DIGITAL SME will expand training and guidance for SMEs, share success stories, and build bridges with international SDOs, helping entrepreneurs and innovators engage directly in shaping the standards that underpin the technologies and markets of tomorrow.