The thesis is dedicated to deepening the theoretical and practical foundations of forming and transforming the European Union’s digital market. It aims to reveal the correlation between digitization and the economic advancement of EU Member States. It also provides a rationale for aligning Ukraine’s digital market with EU standards, given its status as a candidate country for accession.
The thesis studies the evolution of theoretical frameworks concerning digital globalization, elucidating the discourse surrounding establishing and structuring the EU digital market. It identified determinants influencing the formation and evolution of this market while also analyzing the asynchronous disposition of digitalization across EU Member States. Furthermore, it characterized the technological imperative driving innovation within the EU digital market and pinpointed the dominant competitive force of Member States in the digital realm. Utilizing econometric modeling, it projected the impact of digitization on the macroeconomic development of candidate countries for EU accession. Additionally, it evaluated the Ukrainian market’s digitalization status within its integration into the EU Single Digital Market.
The study has revealed that the cornerstone of digital globalization is the economic framework known as Digital Value Chains. These chains are crucial conduits for converting digital information into tangible value. They represent companies’ processes for gathering, storing, analyzing, and extracting value through data monetization (transformation of digital information to yield new insights, commonly called digital intelligence).
The thesis unveiled that the strategy underpinning the EU’s Single Digital Market development rests upon three pivotal pillars: digital access, digital environment, and digital economy and society. This strategy is executed through three domains: the deployment of technologies tailored to meet societal needs, the cultivation of a fair and competitive digital economy, and the cultivation of an open, democratic, and sustainable society.
It has been acknowledged that EU Member States may advance in various facets of digital transformation at different times, underscoring the complexity and non-uniformity inherent in implementing digital innovations. The issue of a shortage in digital skills exacerbates challenges in future growth prospects and heightens the risk of widening the digital divide and fostering digital exclusion. The thesis systematically organizes and compares indicators of digital competitiveness among EU Member States based on their digital competitiveness. It delineates specific factors influencing the digital competitiveness of nations at different developmental stages, highlighting key indicators shaping their positions in global rankings. It is argued that the efficacy of digital transformation hinges not solely on the swift advancement of technologies but also on society’s preparedness to embrace change.
The thesis introduces a multifactor econometric model demonstrating a positive correlation between the determinants of digitalization and the GDP growth of the European Union and candidate countries seeking accession. Furthermore, it delineates the nuances surrounding the development of Ukraine’s digital market as it positions itself as a prospective member of the European Union.
Keywords: European Union, EU Member States, digital market, digitalization, digital transformation, digital services, innovation, digitalization, global digitalization, international competitiveness, competition, international trade, international economic integration, international economic relations, globalization.
