To survive lockdowns, businesses across Europe had to adapt fast to succeed. New research from the Connected Commerce Council (3C) shows that small businesses with a high degree of digital adoption were better able to adapt and innovate during the pandemic. New digital rules could impact this ability in the future. What rules and efforts are needed to help ensure all businesses and people can benefit?

At the beginning of April 2021, Debating Europe launched an online debate asking citizens whether they thought the pandemic had pushed European SMEs to go digital. We chose a selection of the comments and questions sent in and put them to an online panel of policymakers and experts for a response.

On Monday 19 April 2021 at 09:00 CEST, Debating Europe streamed our online panel debate on whether the pandemic has pushed European SMEs to go digital. We put questions and comments sent in from our readers to the following policymakers and experts:

• André de Aragão Azevedo, Secretary of State for Digital Transition, Portugal
• Karen Massin, Head of Government Affairs and Public Policy – EU Institutions, Google
• Jake Ward, President of the Connected Commerce Council (3C)
• Birgit Weidel, Head of Unit, SME Strategy, DG GROW, European Commission

Has the pandemic pushed European SMEs to go digital? Can technology help support small businesses through the crisis? Will they stay digital once the pandemic is over? Let us know your thoughts and comments in the form below and we’ll take them to policymakers for their reactions!

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