Luxembourg - Peter Geršak, the state secretary at the Government Office for Digital Transformation, attended a session of the D9+ group of the most digitally advanced EU countries in Luxembourg on Wednesday, noting the importance of reducing a digital gap between EU member states, as the growing digitalisation directly affects the quality of life of citizens.

Geršak also emphasised the importance of facilitated development of digital society in the EU with the purpose of utilising development opportunities of information-communication technologies for improving the quality of life of EU citizens.

The state secretary noted that digital transformation, in addition to green transition, was a key element of the economic transformation of the Union, the government office said in a press release.

Geršak said that the importance of good connectivity and digitalisation had shown during the Covid-19 pandemic. "This is why we must discuss the issue of the digital gap immediately, as 15% of people in Europe still has no access to high-speed internet."

He added that the goal must be to provide all EU citizens with digital infrastructure and undisrupted access to it, and adequate competences and skills for its management, and boost trust in digital solutions by means of a clear communication.

According to the state secretary, digital transformation management will lead to a more environmentally friendly, digital, more resilient and cyber-safe Europe.

To be particularly important in this respect will be good connectivity and equal access to digital services and competences for all EU citizens, adequate working conditions and development of artificial intelligence, the press release says.

On the sidelines of the session, Geršak had a bilateral meeting with Estonian Minister of Entrepreneurship and Information Technology Andres Sutt to talk about digitalisation of public administration services.