Legal dimension of digital transition in the European Union external competences practice

Digital transition is a key priority of the European Union strategic autonomy. The EU external competences serve as instrumental long-term trendsetters prompting third countries to follow suit in terms of a large-scale artificial intelligence systems application, ensuring cyber security, network infrastructure protection, using big data systems and other disruptive technologies. Treaty-based and legislative norms and principles, related to such phenomena, when enshrined in bilateral, interregional and international agreements, make an integral part of the incipient “Human-to-Smart Machine” interface ‘code of ethics’ that might largely fore-shadow the future. In a change-bound world order with a swelling importance of the power of states, their resource and military potential, the stability of interstate relations hinges on the will of major powers and the commitment of the parties to the international obligations they assumed. Fraught with legal conflicts, derogations, in fact, lead to direct confrontation. With fast-track refinement of its pivotal external competence tools well under way, the EU keeps abreast with the geopolitical dynamics in Europe. A dramatic shifting in “soft” and “hard” power equation is manifest.