Advanced Digital Leadership in the European Union: Foundations for a Transition Driven by Digital Skills and Technologies (2018–2024)

The study analyzes the evolution of digital maturity in the European Union between 2018 and 2024, with the aim of assessing the level of readiness for the transition to an advanced digital leadership model. Based on Eurostat data integrated into the DESI and Digital Decade frameworks, indicators on digital skills, ICT specialization, internet use, continuing education, and the digitization of SMEs are examined. The research uses an exploratory quantitative approach, principal component analysis (PCA), to identify the latent structures of digital transformation. The results highlight two major dimensions of digital maturity and three evolutionary phases, culminating in a convergent acceleration in 2023–2024. The study confirms that European digital transformation is becoming a systemic phenomenon, supported by human capital and technological infrastructure, but also shows that ICT training at company level remains underutilised.