CULT

#DigiEU: The Digital Economy and Society Index shows that four out of ten adults who work in Europe lack basic digital skills. Moreover, one out of every three 13-year-olds lack basic digital skills. What actions can the EU take to promote digital literacy among people of all ages?

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT)

#DigiEU: The Digital Economy and Society Index shows that four out of ten adults who work in Europe lack basic digital skills. Moreover, one out of every three 13-year-olds lack basic digital skills. What actions can the EU take to promote digital literacy among people of all ages?

Submitted by: Lucia van Hest (NL), Milo Sanders(NL), Anastasia Schoonderwoerd (NL), Bram Schouter (NL), Milton Verwijmeren (NL). Chaired by: Mirela Bertinelli (ES) 

The European Youth Parliament aims to increase European citizens’ digital literacy and knowledge of the internet and its hazards, by implementing educational opportunities about these issues for people of all ages.

The above is decided upon because

  1. There is a significant digital skills gap, particularly in areas like data science and digital business management,
  2. The number of  drawbacks of technology exposure for minors is extensive,
  3. Individuals with advanced degrees are told that their expertise lacks specialisation in digital areas, creating a mismatch between academic qualifications and industry demands,
  4. There is a decline in youth engagement with IT subjects, leading to a lack of digital skills among the younger generation,
  5. The impact of critical digital areas such as facial scanning and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven profiling on children’s education, social well-being, and future employment opportunities,
  6. Lack of digital skills affects not only the educational situation of the youth but also their personal lives, including communication with relatives and friends.

To that end, the European Youth Parliament

  1. Requests the International Labour Organisation (ILO) to develop a digital upskilling training programme to be provided freely by employers to their workforce;
  2. Invites Member States to enact legislation aimed at banning mobile phones for all students under the age of 12 during school hours to limit excessive technology exposure among minors;
  3. Instructs the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) to promote the inclusion, in university curricula, of digital upskilling courses tailored to those curriculas’ future career paths;
  4. Recommends Member States to incorporate a mandatory subject in school curricula centred on fundamental digital skills and online safety for all underage students;
  5. Suggests the European Commission to propose legislation aimed at preventing companies from sharing data collected through facial scanning and AI-driven profiling;
  6. Calls upon Member States to establish national subsidy schemes for citizens in order to guarantee access to basic digital devices, such as mobile phones and computers, for those who can not afford them.

Annex: Definitions belonging to the Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT)

For the purposes of this resolution:

  1. ‘Digital skills gap’ is a disparity between the digital skills imparted by the education system, and the skills desired by employers,
  2. ‘Critical digital areas’ refer to specific industries, systems, or aspects in the digital domain that are considered highly important due to their impact on aspects like national security, economic stability, and public well-being. 
  3. ‘Technology exposure’ means the degree of interaction individuals have with digital devices and platforms in personal and professional contexts. 
  4. ‘The International Labour Organisation (ILO)’ gathers governments, employers, and workers from Member States and its mission encompasses the establishment of labour standards, formulation of policies, and creation of programs aimed at advancing the cause of decent work. ILO also highlights the digitalisation in the workforce and that is why this organisation has intervened through policies in diverse workforce areas.
  5. ‘The European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA)’ is one of the six executive agencies of the EU, the EACEA is responsible for the management of EU funding schemes for, among other programmes, education, culture and audiovisual.
  6. ‘Online safety’ is awareness of the potential threats that a person can encounter whilst engaging in activity through the Internet.