“Technology is not limited by boundaries; we need a strong EU single market where our businesses can grow”
A new Presidency of the Council of the EU is underway. The Hungarians hold the reins during a transitional period for the future of the EU. What should they prioritise, and how can they help Europe become a digital powerhouse?
To find out, we caught up with the president of our Hungarian member IVSZ, Vinnai Balázs. In his view, Hungary should focus on promoting AI innovation, closing the digital skills gap, and helping (tech) companies grow within the EU single market.
Question: What should be the priority in the tech field?
Answer: One area where the presidency should focus is artificial intelligence. Data and cloud should be important too. To master all those, I also think they should focus on how the EU can educate people in digital skills. That’s key.
Q: What can the EU learn from Hungary’s approach to digital?
A: I can name three things. The first one is our online personal taxation : the user experience is very easy, and it can be done in only a few clicks. The second is connectivity: Hungary’s infrastructure is so well developed that internet access is not only great in big towns and cities, but also in the countryside. Finally, our talent: we Hungarians are very proud of being a good technological hub in Europe!
“The digital gap between the digitally educated and the non-digitally educated is getting wider”
Q: Name one thing the EU needs to become a digital powerhouse.
A: Education, education, and education. This is the most important thing; the digital gap between the digitally educated and the non-digitally educated is getting wider, especially now with AI. We need to address this gap.
Q: What about the EU Single Market?
A: In Hungary, we aim to be able to export our ideas, knowledge, and capabilities into the EU, and these export possibilities must be there because otherwise, our SMEs will never get stronger. That’s why we’re eager to work on building a single market where our businesses can grow, especially in the tech field, because technology itself is not limited by boundaries.