The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has officially presented the new College of Commissioners. And we are delighted to welcome Henna Virkkunen, who has been given a very interesting portfolio! Henna is the new Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, Commissioner for Digital and Frontier Technologies.
What will her mission be? She will manage the Commission’s digitalisation strategy, known as the Digital Decade, and drive innovation in the field of artificial intelligence. Her role will encompass a wide range of subjects, from cloud computing and semiconductor technology to quantum computing and copyright issues. ‘To make Europe stronger’, and to make digital partnerships greater, INPACE will certainly be working closely with the EU and with Henna’s team to strengthen its links with Asia, with the promotion of digital technologies and cooperation in this area being a major priority for all partners involved.
In a role similar to that of outgoing Commissioners for the internal market, Thierry Breton and Executive Vice President for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age Margrethe Vestager, she will be responsible for digital matters and ‘frontier technologies’. Henna Virkkunen (EPP) has always been very active on tech issues. She was elected to the European Parliament three times — in 2014, 2019 and 2024 — and led Parliament’s work on the Digital Services Act. Prior to that, she was Finland’s minister of education (2008-2011) and local government (2011-2014).
Meet INPACE: The mission of the INPACE project is to translate these high-level partnerships into concrete outcomes and tangible collaborations. By tackling joint priorities from the EU and its strategic Asian partners, the INPACE project aims to create a more inclusive, sustainable, and prosperous digital future for both regions. 21 European and Asian partners, the project establishes a multi-stakeholder Hub for collaboration in digital technologies between Europe and the Indo-Pacific region and fosters long-term cooperation in key digital technologies by bringing together experts and stakeholders from both regions.
What are the project’s objectives? The main objectives are:
Support the implementation of the Digital Partnerships and the Trade and Technology Council
Boost international cooperation in digital technologies between Europe and Asia
Deepen research and innovation collaboration by promoting joint research and industrial cooperation for technology development and commercialisation
Inform policy, analyse synergies, and foster digital dialogues to promote convergence between digital technology and policy .