Digital Economy in the EU

Teacher(s)

Defacqz Samuel; Nouveau Patricia (compensates Defacqz Samuel);

Language

English

Main themes

The digital transformation of the EU economy is a major evolution that raises challenges such as the EU risking to fall behind the US and China. The functioning of the digital markets and their underpinnings, such as the microprocessors industry, raise geopolitical issues and are thus at the core of the debates on the strategic autonomy of Europe. Analysing those markets from a multidisciplinary point of view requires not only to identify the main actors, their strategies, the complex supply chains, etc., but also to understand the sovereignty and governance issues, as well as the EU legal framework.
The course aims to do this by reviewing the main EU policies and laws for the digital markets. This, among others, includes a review of the international competition around the manufacturing of chips, the state of competition on the digital markets and the remedies in case of abuse, the governance of data (in particular personal data) and artificial intelligence, the fight against online disinformation, the liability and (social) responsibility of digital platforms, the cybersecurity and resilience issues, the protection of consumers online, and in general digital sovereignty issues.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

understand the specificities of the digital markets and the challenges that the digital transformation of the EU economy raises highlight the geopolitical dimensions resulting from the international competition around digital technologies analyse the main EU policies regarding the digital economy from an interdisciplinary perspective critically reflect upon the values and objectives underpinning those policies propose alternative measures and policies that take into account the various dimensions of the digital economy and the stakes (including the protection of fundamental rights and democracy)

Content

The course content will be structured around the following themes and axes:
1°Analysing the reasons why the digital transformation of the European economy poses increasing challenges to the European Union and some key Member-States, through the study of:

• The EU technological gap 
• The general-purpose transformation of digital technologies including in military affairs 
• The specificities of digital technologies in terms of market power
• The changing geopolitical environment and the technological confrontation between the US and China as well as the underlying weaponisation of dependencies

2° Analysing the momentum of digital sovereignty and strategic autonomy at the EU level:

• The objectives and associated uncertainties;
• Convergences and divergences among the various stakeholders involved

3° Analysing the main policies being implemented, debated and envisaged, including:

• Industrial and innovation policies
• The development and functioning of the digital and data single market
• Competition and fiscal policies 
• Trade policies 

4° EU Transatlantic and transpacific relations with regard to digital matters:

• EU de-risking versus US decoupling with regard to China 
• Transatlantic cooperation versus confrontation 
• European digital governance model versus US and Chinese models, including with regard to data privacy, democratic issues and ethics.

Teaching methods

The course combines a balanced mix of ex cathedra learning sessions and interactive training sessions based on preliminary readings, active debates and case studies. 

Evaluation methods

Assignments (such as readings and research papers) will be scheduled and assessed (in writing and orally) on a continuous basis throughout the semester.
A written and/or oral exam will be held during the exam period (the format of the exam will depend on the number of students enrolled in the course).
In this course, emphasis is placed on individual assessment, unless the number of students is such that implementing this approach becomes impracticable.
AI regulations for this course: 

• As part of the assessment for this teaching unit, the use of artificial intelligence is prohibited, whether for exploration and conceptualisation or for writing.
• If students use AI systems as language assistants during assessments (e.g. for proofreading in English), they are required to provide a screenshot or transcript of their interaction with the chosen AI system(s).

Online resources

Course materials, including academic readings, will be made available on the course's Moodle page at least one week prior to each class. Students are expected to review these materials in advance to prepare for the lectures and seminars. When used, lecture slideshows will be posted online after each session.

Bibliography

Key Readings and references will be proposed among the following (non-exhaustive) bibliography: 
Foundational information and official documents from the European institutions and Member-States
Bergsten C.F., The United States vs. China: The quest for global economic leadership, Polity press, 2022
Miller C., Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology, Scribner, 2022
Defraigne J-C, Wouters J., Traversa E., Zurstrassen D.(Ed.), EU Industrial Policy in the Multipolar Economy, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2022
Bradford A.,  Digital empires : the global battle to regulate technology, Oxford University Press, 2023
Draghi, M., The future of European competitiveness: A competitiveness strategy for Europe, European Commission, 2024.
Eckert, D.,40 Years of European Digital Policies: Forgotten Lessons, Springer, 2024
Werner S., Digital policy in the EU : towards a human-centred digital transformation. Cheltenham, UK : Edward Elgar Publishing, 2024

Faculty or entity

> IEEB