POLICIES OF THE EUROPEAN UNION IN THE FIELD OF DIGITALIZATION

From year to year, the need for digitization increases, especially since it brings with its multiple advantages: cost reduction, operational efficiency increases, the number of personalized services, adapted to individual needs, increases. Digitization is a necessity of today's modern world, where we cannot imagine life, work, without internet connection. That is precisely why the European Union is developing policies to support the Strategy on shaping the digital transformation. EU policies will contribute to the introduction of new digital technologies, which will generate an ecological transition, allowing to achieve climate neutrality, by the year 2050. Citizens will be supported to obtain digital skills, workers will be trained, public services will be digitized, and the rights and the core values of individuals will be respected. The digital transformation achieved through the implementation of digital policies will mean the existence of digital platforms, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, internet of things, digital financial services, online health care, etc. Digital technologies contribute to the optimization of production, the reduction of waste, the emergence of new products and services to be provided to customers in today's digital age. The future trend of our life and work will necessarily include a digital component. EU policies in the field of digitization confirm this. It is necessary to adapt to this trend in order to survive, to develop, to prosper, regardless of whether we are individuals, companies, universities, healthcare institutions, etc. The transition to digitalization is an undeniable reality. The paper presents the importance of digitization for individuals, for society, for the environment, etc. and details EU policies in the field of digitalisation. Future research directions inspired by the theme of this paper are also presented.