Introduction

What is digital inclusion ?

Digital inclusion aims to give everyone equal opportunities to participate in the digital society, strengthen social cohesion and ensure equal opportunities. Digital inclusion cannot be considered in isolation: it is closely linked to public policies that pursue complementary objectives in the areas of education, employment, social protection and citizen participation. With this in mind, the Luxembourg government has been working for several years to reduce the digital divide and build a more inclusive society.

The National Action Plan for Digital Inclusion

To respond to initial findings on the digital divide, Luxembourg created an interministerial working group dedicated to digital inclusion in 2019 and launched its first National Action Plan (NAP) for digital inclusion in 2021.

The implementation of this first action plan has yielded significant results, but it has also revealed the scale and complexity of the challenges ahead. Its evaluation served as the starting point for work on the second action plan, which began in early 2025.

The development of the second action plan (Pdf, 1.29 Mb) was based on a participatory and collaborative approach, aimed at incorporating feedback and identifying future priorities. Thirty-three interviews were conducted with more than 40 people representing key stakeholders, both governmental and non-governmental. Around 30 bilateral meetings also enabled targeted work on concrete initiatives to be included in the action plan. These meetings promoted a coordinated and pragmatic approach, considering the specific characteristics and skills of each public actor.

Furthermore, this new action plan contributes to the implementation of European commitments on digital transition.

Who is affected ?

Digital inclusion is a cross-cutting issue that affects the entire population. In an increasingly connected world, everyone can be impacted, to varying degrees, by digital transformations, whether in their personal, professional or social lives.

However, certain life situations or individual characteristics can increase the risk of digital exclusion. These vulnerabilities are not only technical difficulties, but also cultural, social, linguistic, economic or psychological factors.

Situations that can limit ease or autonomy in digital use include:

material or economic constraints limiting access to equipment or a high-quality connection;
life experiences marked by low familiarity with technology or reduced confidence in its use;
accessibility barriers related to physical, sensory or cognitive limitations;
a lack of guidance or support for learning and practicing;
difficulties in acquiring essential skills, particularly for those whose educational or professional background has not encouraged exposure to digital technology;
transitional contexts requiring the simultaneous learning of new solutions, new tools or new languages;
negative online experiences that may discourage use;
family or educational responsibilities that may generate a specific need for support;
or frequent but poorly controlled use, which does not guarantee a critical or secure understanding of digital environments.

Although digital inclusion mainly concerns individuals, it is also an issue for businesses. Not only must they adapt to technological developments in order to remain competitive, but they must also ensure that their employees have the necessary skills to use digital tools effectively.

What are the priorities ?

The new action plan identifies six strategic levers to meet identified needs and support the entire population in the digital transition:

Coordinating the National Action Plan for Digital Inclusion, including actions relating to coordination, governance and cross-cutting actions.
Enhancing digital skills to ensure that everyone has the knowledge they need for their daily lives and professional development
Increasing motivation and building digital confidence so that citizens see the added value of digital tools and know how to use them safely.
Facilitating digital access by ensuring coverage and infrastructure that is suitable and accessible to all.
Enhancing autonomy through digital technology by giving individuals the means to become more independent in their use of it.
Maintaining a non-digital alternative to preserve fairness and avoid excluding those who do not wish to – or cannot – use digital tools

According to the associations contacted, digital development must be inclusive so as not to create social vulnerabilities or impose obligations on citizens in Luxembourg. To achieve this, analogue alternatives must continue to be guaranteed. Representatives of the associations also repeatedly emphasised the increased need for training for association teams and other actors active in the field of digital inclusion in Luxembourg.

The non-governmental organisations and associations contacted also consider online safety, access and digital learning to be the biggest challenges to successful digital inclusion. According to these organisations, access and training in digital skills will then increase motivation and confidence.

What strategic levers and initatives have been identified ?

The Ministry for Digitalisation, in close consultation with its partners, has defined six strategic levers to promote digital inclusion for all citizens.

Each of these levers brings together a set of concrete initiatives from the Ministry for Digitalisation and the actors involved in the development of the second national action plan for digital inclusion.