2020 marked the start of Europe's Digital Decade, an ambitious policy programme that sets the groundwork for having a complete digital transformation of Europe by 2030. When first announced by the Commission, the programme threatened to be yet another drawn-out project, destined to be mired in political debate and unlikely to have any real-world impact for the foreseeable future. But a mere two years into the project, a different story unfolds: the European Union has kicked one of the most significant reforms in Europe into high gear. With no fewer than 13 fast-tracked legislative proposals, it looks like the Digital Decade will be completed in half of the expected time.

In 2022, the European Commission met milestone after milestone, announcing or implementing new rules and regulations, sometimes as often as twice a month. As a result, companies active in the sphere of the Internet of Things (IoT), manufacturers, software companies, digital service providers, financial institutions, as well as distributors and importers of digital goods and services can expect a more complex regulatory landscape in 2023 and the years to come. At the same time, small organisations have more opportunities to build solutions that can help them thrive in a European market alongside the industry's established giants. In this guide, we bring you a bird's eye view of the key developments in the digital landscape in Europe in 2022 and what they may mean for the year ahead.