DEAL project

Context/background

DEAL combines 3 key EU priorities – Digitalisation, Entrepreneurship and Active Ageing. The backdrop is the deficiency in entrepreneurial skills identified by the EU Commission (44% of EU citizens lack basic digital skills), the associated unemployment statistics (42% of the cohort) and the opportunities presented by digitalisation especially in the area of self-employment. In addition the Covid pandemic has accelerated the trend towards eCommerce. DEAL supports in particular vulnerable target groups such as low income, isolated rural residents and marginalised women. With people living longer and healthier, older age groups are a special focus. External forces will continue inexorably to drive change – rapidly changing technologies, globalisation, climate change and urbanisation. Their effects are already impacting heavily on business models and to promote social inclusion it is important that EU citizens, especially those at risk of marginalisation, are enabled and empowered to meet these challenges.