The EU Commission has adopted a new strategy on Web 4.0 and virtual worlds that it said will help steer the next technological transition.
A key aim of the new strategy is to ensure an open, secure, trustworthy, fair and inclusive digital environment for EU citizens, businesses and public administrations. It is in line with the 2030 objectives of the Digital Decade policy programme and addresses key pillars of digitalisation such as skills, business and public services.
1. Empowering people and reinforcing skills
By the end of 2023, the Commission said it will promote the guiding principles for virtual worlds, put forward by the Citizens’ Panel while guidance for the general public will be developed by the first quarter of 2024. The Commission also plans to work with Member States to set up a talent pipeline with skills development support, including for women and girls to increase the number of specialists on virtual worlds.
2. Business: supporting a European Web 4.0 industrial ecosystem
The Commission plans to create a proper EU ecosystem by bringing together the different players of the value chain of virtual worlds and Web 4.0. To foster innovation, it said it will support EU creators and media companies to test new creation tools, bring together developers and industrial users, and work with Member States to develop regulatory sandboxes for Web 4.0 and virtual worlds.
3. Government: supporting societal progress and virtual public services
The Commission is launching two new public flagships: “CitiVerse”, an immersive urban environment that can be used for city planning and management; and a European Virtual Human Twin, which will replicate the human body to support clinical decisions and personal treatment. There have also been investments in major initiatives for smart communities and to help public authorities make informed public-policy decisions.
4. Shaping global standards for open and interoperable virtual worlds and Web 4.0
The Commission said it will also engage with internet governance stakeholders globally and promote Web 4.0 standards to make sure it is not dominated by a few big players.
Web 4.0 is expected to have increased integration between digital and real objects and environments as well as enhanced interactions between humans and machines. According to outlook of the EU economy beyond 2030, published in March, digitalisation is one of its key drivers and Web 4.0 expected to play a major role. The global virtual worlds market size is estimated to grow from €27 billion in 2022 to over €800 billion by 2030.
In September 2022, the European Commission launched the Virtual and Augmented Reality Industrial coalition bringing together the industry and policy makers. It also hosted a European Citizens’ Panel on Virtual Worlds between February and April 2023 and invited 150 randomly selected citizens to formulate recommendations on a vision, principles, and actions to ensure that virtual worlds in the EU are fair and fit for people.
