EU4Digital Facility and European Commission DG NEAR representatives participated in the Moldova Digital Summit 2023 - The Future of Digital on 15-17 June 2023. The event was organised under the patronage of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova and marked a new stage in the country’s digital transformation. Under the theme ‘Evolve towards our borderless future’, the summit aimed to re-position the ICT field on the regional economic map and build a new image of digital Moldova, with potential for sustainable development.

The Republic of Moldova has advanced the use of remote identification of customers, by improving legislation and launching the development of technological platforms. Recently, legislative amendments clarified the application of eKYC (electronic know your customer) in the financial sector. In addition, the e-Governance Agency launched a project to develop a multi-purpose eKYC technological platform. These changes will support proliferation of the digital economy infrastructure, online transactions and remote working in Moldova, and the development of online businesses, online financial services and digital public services.

The Government of the Republic of Armenia is implementing a national identification gateway system, ‘EsEm’. According to sources within the digitalisation department of the Ministry of High Tech Industry, from 1 January 2024, access to online public service delivery systems in Armenia will be carried out exclusively through the EsEm national identification platform.

Recent developments and upcoming activities in the area of electronic identification (eID) and trust services were the topics of a virtual eTrust Network event on 3 May 2023. The EU4Digital Facility organised the event to focus on eTrust and Cross-border Digital Services activities in the Eastern partner countries. Representatives from Armenia, Georgia, Republic of Moldova, Azerbaijan and Ukraine joined the event to review progress and plans.

The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine adopted a resolution in early April, which defines the country’s cybersecurity procedure for responding to cyber-incidents and cyber-attacks. The number of cyber-attacks against Ukraine has grown since the conflict with Russia began. The new resolution will make it possible to react in time and plan cyber-defence measures.

The Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine has developed an index of digital transformation in the country’s 24 regions and published the results for 2022. The Digital Transformation Index of Regions allows comparisons to be made, which is important for the analysis, planning and implementation of digital reforms by the regional authorities

The European Union’s commitment to Ukraine’s digital transformation was reaffirmed as part of a joint statement following the 24th EU-Ukraine Summit. Charles Michel, President of the European Council, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, met in Kyiv on 3 February and issued the statement about EU-Ukraine relations in view of the EU candidate status of Ukraine, the status of the Association Agreement and Ukraine’s EU accession.

The ‘Digital transformation for Ukraine’ (DT4UA) project will improve the efficiency, security and accessibility of public services for citizens and businesses in Ukraine in line with EU requirements. It will also provide rapid response to the needs caused by the war and empower daily governance. The European Union funded project launched in November 2022 with a budget of 17.4 million euro.

The EC is inviting feedback on a draft act regarding key performance indicators (KPIs) of progress towards the Digital Decade policy programme 2030. These KPIs are to be used to measure underlying trends at the national as well as European level. Anyone wishing to participate is welcome to login via the EC information page and share their views before the deadline: midnight, Brussels time on 13 March 2023.

After multiple rounds of public consultations, the 2023-2027 Strategy for Digital Transformation of the Republic of Moldova is ready for approval. EU4Digital experts alongside a wide range of stakeholders, international donors, associations, public and private institutions, engaged in consultations regarding the Moldovan government's vision for the next 7 years

The Digital Decade policy programme 2030 has entered into force. The European Parliament, Member States and the European Commission have jointly set concrete objectives and targets in four key areas in this strategic vision for the development of the digital economy.

Ukrainians will experience simplified electronic interactions when doing business with European partners and be able to use qualified signatures obtained in the EU when using various services. This will be results of Ukraine’s Law 2801-ІХ ‘On electronic trust services and electronic identification’, which was signed by the President of Ukraine on 29 December 2022. This law accelerates the ability of Ukraine to integrate with the EU Digital Single Market and brings the provisions of national legislation closer to the EU norms in the areas of electronic identification and electronic trust services.