On 16 – 17 October, the S9+ Coalition lands in Lisbon to host our bi-annual local S9+ Summit and present our key policy priorities to the ministers in D9+, the informal alliance of Digital Ministers from the digital frontrunner EU Member States.

The backdrop for this D9+ presidency is clear

Europe’s competitiveness gap is still widening one year after Draghi. Lack of capital makes startups turn away from Europe and settle elsewhere. Fragmented and overlapping digital regulations continue to weigh startups down.

This is why the D9+ forum – where Europe’s most digital frontrunner countries meet – matters.

Here, ministers discuss how to strengthen Europe’s single market and improve framework conditions for startups and scaleups.

Our declaration is a call to action for D9+ ministers

📌 Simplify digital rules – stop layering, start streamlining
📌 Deliver a regulation based 28th regime with one EU-wide digital registry
📌 Open public procurement to startups – no quotas, just fair access
📌 Put startups at the heart of Europe’s AI uptake

If Europe is serious about competitiveness, it’s time to move from ambition to action.