ITI Urges EU to Leverage Digitalization for Clean Industrial Deal Success
BRUSSELS – Today, global tech trade association the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) released its latest policy recommendations, “The Clean Industrial Deal: Advancing EU’s Competitive and Clean Future Through Digitalization.” The paper outlines how the initiatives under the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal (CID) need to harness digital technologies to drive sustainability, industrial competitiveness, and economic growth while reducing regulatory complexity. ITI also compiled a collection of uses cases to demonstrate the impact of the tech industry on the green transition.
“Digitalization is not just a driver of productivity and competitiveness, it is a fundamental enabler of sustainability and energy efficiency,” said ITI’s Policy Manager, Gabriele Favarò. “The Clean Industrial Deal represents a crucial opportunity for the EU to align energy security and decarbonization efforts with economic resilience. If the CID is to succeed, policymakers must embrace digital solutions, artificial intelligence, and smart grid innovations. With rising energy demand and global competition intensifying, the EU must provide the right incentives for businesses to invest in clean technologies and digital transformation.”
Three core pillars that should underpin the Clean Industrial Deal:
- Decarbonize and digitalize Europe’s energy systems, supporting the tech sector’s sustainable energy transition. Modernizing energy grids and integrating AI-driven smart technologies will enhance energy efficiency and the use of renewables, thus reducing carbon emissions in several industries, including the ICT sector.
- Leverage digital technologies and AI as enablers of decarbonization and competitiveness in the EU. Expanding initiatives like The Green Grid and the European Green Digital Coalition will allow industries to use AI, data centers, automation, and digital solutions to accelerate sustainable and innovative reindustrialization.
- Build upon the Green Deal’s initiatives and simplify legislation for competitiveness. The CID must avoid duplicative legislation and prioritize a harmonized and simplified regulatory approach that reduces administrative burdens and regulatory overlaps while maintaining high environmental standards and predictability for businesses.
Read the paper here and a collection of use cases from ITI members here.