European Commissioner for Digital and Frontier Technologies

The European Commissioner for Digital and Frontier Technologies^[a] is the member of the European Commission responsible for matters relating to media, information, telecommunications, and information technology. The Commissioner leads the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CNECT) and the Directorate-General for Digital Services (DG DIGIT). The portfolio covers the development and regulation of digital infrastructure, emerging technologies, and related policy areas within the European Union.

European Commissioner for Digital and Frontier Technologies
Flag of Europe
Incumbent Henna Virkkunen since 1 December 2024
European Commission
Member of	European Commission
Reports to	President of the European Commission
Term length	5 years
Precursor	See list Commissioner for Information Technology Commissioner for Telecommunications Commissioner for Technological Development Commissioner for Information Society Commissioner for Digital Agenda Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society Commissioner for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age
Formation	1985
First holder	Karl-Heinz Narjes
Unofficial names	Tech Commissioner

The portfolio for digital and telecommunications policy has historically been combined with a variety of other portfolios, including industry, science and research, education, enterprise, and competition.

The current Commissioner is Henna Virkkunen, who has held the office in the von der Leyen II Comission since 1 December 2024.

History

The European Commission portfolio for digital and telecommunications policy has played a central role in shaping Europe’s digital landscape. Commissioners in this role have introduced legislation to cap mobile roaming charges, ensuring fairer pricing for consumers travelling across the EU.^[1][2] The office oversaw the launch of the .eu top-level domain, providing a European internet identity and fostering a sense of a single digital market.^[3] It has promoted the Digital Single Market, supporting cross-border online services, broadband infrastructure, and cybersecurity initiatives. The portfolio has also advanced policies to increase competition in the telecom sector, including functional separation of network and service operations, while fostering innovation in emerging technologies. More recently, the office has focused on digital skills, online safety, and education, as well as regulatory frameworks such as the Digital Services Act^[4] and Digital Markets Act,^[5] and the development of artificial intelligence and cloud computing policies. Its current mandate includes ensuring technological sovereignty, security, and democratic resilience, reflecting the EU’s strategic priorities in an evolving digital environment.

Several Commissioners responsible for this portfolio have also served concurrently as Vice-Presidents of the European Commission, among them Karl-Heinz Narjes, Filippo Maria Pandolfi, Antonio Ruberti, Neelie Kroes, Margrethe Vestager, and the current officeholder, Henna Virkkunen.

List of Commissioners

No.	Portrait	Name	Term	Party				Commission	Full Position Title	Member state
				European		National
1		Karl-Heinz Narjes	1985–1988		EPP		CDU	Delors I	European Commissioner for Industry, Information Technology, Science and Research[b]	West Germany
2		Filippo Maria Pandolfi	1989–1992		EPP		DC	Delors II	European Commissioner for Science, Research, Development, Telecommunications, and Innovation[b]	Italy
3		Antonio Ruberti	1992–1995		PES		PSI	Delors III	European Commissioner for Science, Research, Technological Development, and Education[b]	Italy
4		Martin Bangemann	1995–1999		ALDE		FDP	Santer	European Commissioner for Industrial Affairs, Information Technologies, and Telecommunications	Germany
5		Erkki Liikanen	1999–2004		PES		SDP	Prodi	European Commissioner for Enterprise and Information Society	Finland
6		Olli Rehn	2004		ALDE		C
7		Viviane Reding	2004–2010		EPP		CSV	Barroso I	European Commissioner for Information Society and Media	Luxembourg
8		Neelie Kroes	2010–2014		ALDE		VVD	Barroso II	European Commissioner for Digital Agenda[b]	Netherlands
9		Günther Oettinger	2014–2017		EPP		CDU	Juncker	European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society	Germany
*[c]		Andrus Ansip	2014-2019		ALDE		Reform	Juncker	European Commissioner for Digital Single Market	Estonia
10		Mariya Gabriel	2017–2019		EPP		GERB	Juncker	European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society	Bulgaria
*[c]		Maroš Šefčovič	2019		PES		Smer	Juncker	European Commissioner for Digital Single Market	Slovakia
11		Margrethe Vestager	2019–2024		ALDE		B	Von der Leyen I	Executive Vice-President for A Europe Fit for the Digital Age and European Commissioner for Competition[b]	Denmark
12		Henna Virkkunen	2024–2029		EPP		Kok	Von der Leyen II	Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy and European Commissioner for Digital and Frontier Technologies[b]	Finland

See also

• .eu
• Directorate General for Communication Networks, Content and Technology
• Directorate-General for Digital Services
• Regulation on roaming charges in the European Union

Notes

1. The portfolio has evolved over time, with its official title changing to reflect shifting priorities. Key names include: Commissioner for Technological Development, Commissioner for Information Technologies and Telecommunications, Commissioner for the Information Society, Commissioner for Digital Agenda, and Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society.
2. Concurrently serving as Vice-President of the European Commission
3. The Commissioner for Digital Single Market was a separate portfolio during the Juncker Commission