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How to ensure rapid development in the IT sector? EU4Digital highlights women as the key to growth

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is one of the fastest growing sectors in Armenia. In 2018, Software and Services and Internet Service Providers accounted for 7.4% of Armenia’s GDP of $12.4 billion, up from 3.6% of GDP in 2013. As one of the most effective engines of the economy, Arme…

EU4Digital Facility training on women’s mentorship programmes in ICT and innovation

The EU4Digital Facility will organise a virtual training on women’s mentorship programmes in ICT and innovation on 20 August 2020. The objective of the training is to share know-how from EU women’s mentorship organisation(s) and best practices on realising women’s mentorship programmes, as well as a…

Moldova presents roadmap for boosting digitization of national economy and development of e-commerce

A draft roadmap for boosting the process of digitization of the Moldovan economy and the development of electronic commerce, prepared by the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure, was presented on 27 July. Minister Sergiu Railean said the COVID-19 p…

Moldova moves to develop digital skills in schools

A memorandum on the development of Moldova’s education system based on digital skills in response to the COVID-19 crisis was signed on 22 July by the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research, the National Association of Information T…

Ukrainian IT industry: looking for further growth and opening opportunities for women

The Ukrainian IT market is growing in leaps and bounds – in the past few years, this industry has been growing by 30% every year in the country. The number of specialists employed in this field is rising as well. On the other hand, the “digital boom” in Ukraine is accompanied by various challenges:…

Embracing a career in IT: how support for ICT Innovation is reversing the brain drain in Moldova and setting an example in the region

Information technology has become increasingly present in the Republic of Moldova in recent years, with IT in one form or another penetrating all areas of life. As both public and business have adopted innovations, so external partners have also contributed to the digital transformation in the count…

How women can change the field of innovation in Georgia

Natia Ninikelashvili receives us at the Farmers’ Association on Ateni Street, Tbilisi. She is not a farmer, but for the past five years her life has revolved around Guda cheese from Tusheti and traditional Kakhetian wine or churchkhelas. Because Nina…

EU4Digital holds regional training on setting up National Coalitions for Digital Skills and Jobs

The EU4Digital Facility organised a virtual training on the establishment and management of National Coalitions for Digital Skills and Jobs on 13 July 2020.  The objective of the training was to introduce participants to best EU practices for the establishment and management of National Co…

EU4Digital Steering Committee: focus on key priorities in digital and future of the Eastern Partnership

The EU4Digital Initiative will hold its second annual Steering Committee Meeting. This year it will host a series of virtual sessions spread across the week of 5-9 October 2020, reviewing the digital policy agenda and results achieved, as well as upcoming priorities under the EU4Digital Initiative….

EU eCommerce baseline report – a milestone towards facilitating cross-border eTrade between EU and Eastern partner countries

In June 2020, the EU4Digital Facility’s eCommerce team achieved a significant milestone, developing a baseline report on cross-border eCommerce in the EU, which provides a benchmark to assess the state of play of eCommerce in the Eastern partner countries. Later, this assessment will result in recom…

EU4Digital eHealth Network Meeting: focus on interoperability guidelines, cross-border eHealth collaboration platform and EU initiatives roadmap

The EU4Digital eHealth team is organising an online eHealth Network Meeting on September 17, which aims to bring together network members from the six Eastern partner countries to share key deliverables from activities in the eHealth stream. In the first part of the event, the EU4Digital eHealth tea…

EU4Digital holds online consultations with partner countries regarding investment gaps and access to finance for high-tech start-ups

In early June 2020, the EU4Digital team held six rounds of online consultations with national stakeholders from the Eastern partner countries as part of its study on ‘Market assessment for the Digital Innovation and Scale-up Initiative (DISC study) in the Eastern partner countries’. …

EU4Digital delivers country implementation action plans for key ICT innovation policy areas

The EU4Digital Facility has concluded a more than one-year-long work on supporting the six Eastern partner countries with recommendations for national policy instruments in selected priority policy areas of ICT innovation. The selected policy areas are: Intellectual property rights management for di…

EU4Digital Facility training on the establishment and management of National Coalitions for Digital Skills and Jobs

EU4Digital Facility will organize a virtual training on the establishment and management of National Coalitions for Digital Skills and Jobs on 13 July 2020.  The objective of the training is to Introduce participants to best EU practices for the establishment and management of national coalitio…

EU4Digital Facility launches eDelivery pilot activity between Ukraine and Poland

Following ongoing discussions and consultations with representatives from Ukraine and Poland, the first joint eDelivery working meeting with representatives from the public and private sector was held virtually on 2 July. The purpose of the meeting was to launch eDelivery pilot activity for…

Digitising industry: best practices to promote the digital transformation of SMEs in traditional sectors of the economy

One of the central activities of the EU4Digital Facility in the area of ICT Innovation is supporting the establishment of a common legislative framework on ICT innovation in the Eastern Partnership region that would favour ICT innovation, based on EU norms and best practices. Working towar…

EaPConnect enters second phase, building on past success to support research and education in the Eastern Partnership

The Eastern Partnership Connect project, EaPConnect, enters a second phase from 1 July 2020. Coordinated by the GÉANT Association, the 60-month EU-funded ‘EU4Digital: Connecting Research and Education Communities’ project (EaPConnect2) will bring together the research and education (R&E) communi…

Eastern partner stakeholders discuss finalisation of Regional Spectrum Agreement

On 23 June 2020, the Eastern partner countries stakeholders’ online workshop regarding the Regional Spectrum Agreement (RSA) took place. Due to the continuing travel restrictions, the event was organised on a virtual platform by the Spectrum Expert Working Group and with support of the European Comm…

Roaming deal one step closer as draft agreement presented to Eastern partners

A meeting to present the Regional Roaming Agreement (RRA) for the Eastern Partnership took place on 25 June 2020, with the final version of the Agreement to be presented for approval in October ahead of its formal signature, expected in December. The meeting included Harmonising Digital Market (HDM)…

eTrade: First meeting with Ukraine and Poland to prepare eDelivery pilot project

EU4Digital is organising the first joint working meeting with Ukraine and Poland on 2 July to introduce and set out the next steps for implementation of its eTrade pilot for the eDelivery solution for cross-border data exchange. At the beginning of 2020 official confirmation was received from t…

EaPConnect reviews achievements as new phase dawns

A second phase of the EU-funded EaPConnect project will start in July, bolstered by a renewed EU-Eastern Partnership (EaP) policy commitment to a strong digital presence in the EU’s Eastern Neighbourhood.  Key among EaPConnect’s achievements in the past five years are greater integrat…

eTrade Network: online workshop reviews progress across eTrade priorities

The eighth EU4Digital eTrade Network Workshop was held on 9-10 June with the aim of presenting and discussing with participants the progress of analysis, recommendations, pilots and concepts developed by the eTrade expert team of the EU4Digital Facility in the areas of eDelivery, eCustoms, eCommerce…

Digital Skills Network meets online to discuss measurement of skills gaps in Eastern partner countries

The EU4Digital Digital Skills Network met virtually on 25 June 2020 to discuss results related to the development of a Methodology for the Measurement and Forecasting of Digital Skills Gaps and Competence Framework for SMEs and microbusinesses, supported by the EU4Digital Facility.  The Network…

Supporting digital innovation: how European ICT ecosystems can spark a new impetus in the Eastern Neighbourhood

In the past months, the EU4Digital Facility ICT Innovation team has been focusing its efforts to promote a common legislative framework in the Eastern Partnership region that would favour ICT innovation, based on EU norms and best practices. Working towards this objective, the EU4Digital F…

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Our Mission

Connecting health systems in the EU and the 6 Eastern partner countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine The eHealth Network was officially established in February 2017. The strategic goal of the Network is to facilitate the adoption of EU eHealth guidelines and standard…

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Digital Transformation of SMEs – Free Webinar

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in Armenia, with the support and funding of the Europe Union under the EU4Business initiative, is organising an online webinar on the Digital Transformation of Small and Medium Size Ent…

Digital Skills Network Webinar

The EU4Digital Digital Skills Network plans to meet virtually on 25 June 2020 to discuss results related to the development of a Methodology for Measurement and Forecasting of Digital Skills Gaps and Competence Framework for SMEs and microbusinesses supported by the EU4Digital Facility. Th…

Belarus and Ukraine announce contest for joint science and technology projects for 2021-2022

The State Science and Technology Committee of Belarus and the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine have announced a competition for joint science and technology projects for 2021-2022. Applications for the contest are open from 1 to 30 June 2020 in priority areas of bilat…

European Training Foundation highlights importance of digital investment in COVID-19 response

The head of the European Training Foundation (ETF) has highlighted the importance of digital learning in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, presenting the findings of an ETF report on distance digital learning in the EU’s neighbourhood to the EIT Digital webinar on 11 June. The…

CyberEast: Webinar on Introduction to Cyberviolence

In the framework of the joint European Union and Council of Europe CyberEast project, the Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe (C-PROC) will host a new webinar, on an Introduction to Cyberviolence, on 18 June. Registration is open until 17 June 2020, at 10:00…

When could 5G technology be rolled out in Moldova? Ministry of Economy holds public consultation with operators

Moldova’s Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure last week held a public consultation session on the roll-out of 5G in the country. The videoconference was attended by representatives of Orange, Moldcell, Moldtelecom, the National Agency for Public Health, the Nati…

Armenia: EU TUMO centre working towards digitisation of healthcare

Over the past three months, TUMO Labs, the educational programme at the heart of the EU TUMO Convergence Centre for Engineering and Applied Science in Armenia, has been conducting a joint project on the digitisation of healthcare with the Healthcare Innovation Centre (HIC), a Yerevan-based organisat…

‘We want as many women and girls as possible to embrace an IT career’ – empowering women in technology in Moldova

In today’s world, digital technology is encompassing increasing swathes of everyday and especially economic life, with knowledge of programming a valuable asset in the job market. According to the World Economic Forum, an estimated 90 per cent of jobs will soo…

New EU report shows the importance of digital resilience in times of crisis

The European Commission yesterday released the results of the 2020 Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), which monitors Europe’s overall digital performance and tracks the progress of EU countries with respect to their digital competitiveness. This year’s DESI shows that there is progr…

EaP Stakeholders’ Workshop on a Regional Spectrum Agreement

The Eastern partner countries stakeholders’ online workshop on the Regional Spectrum Agreement (RSA) will take place on 23 June 2020. The event will be organised by the Spectrum Expert Working Group of the Eastern Partnership Electronic Communications Regulators Network (EaPeReg) and with…

EU4Digital: eHealth network meeting highlights COVID-19 data information responses in Eastern partner countries

The EU4Digital eHealth Network has discussed COVID-19 and data sharing of disease statistics, as well as country best practices in managing the pandemic. During the online meeting on 3 June, a representative of the European Commission presented ongoing activities in the area of COVID-19 data co…

Moldova urges entrepreneurs to apply to new SME Digitisation Programme

Moldova’s Minister of Economy and Infrastructure Sergiu Railean has invited entrepreneurs to apply to the SME Digitisation Programme, launched on 1 June during an online event. “Today we launch a new support programme for Small and Medium Enterprises and we make available to…

EU Code Week Icebreaker Rerun

You still have 10 days to join a community of teachers, parents and coding enthusiasts and register for the #CodeWeek Icebreaker online course in coding and computational thinking.  This introductory course has an estimated workload of five hours in total. Participants…

EU Code Week

EU Code Week from 10-25 October 2020 is a grass-roots movement that celebrates creativity, problem solving and collaboration through programming and other tech activities.  The idea is to make programming more visible, to show young, adults and elderly how you bring ideas to life with…

EBRD launches accelerator for fintech start-ups

Start-ups in the Eastern partner countries will be among those to benefit from a new partnership between the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Startup Wise Guys, a leading start-up accelerator with a presence across the Baltic states. Companies from the EBRD regions active…

CyberEast webinar on election interference: attacks on critical information systems

In the framework of the joint EU-Council of Europe CyberEast project, the Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe (C-PROC) will host a new webinar, on Election interference: attacks on critical information systems. The event will take place on 4 June 2020, at 12h00 EEST (…

Focus on digital: European Training Foundation launches Innovation and Skills Award

The European Training Foundation (ETF) is launching a competition open to all vocational schools, universities, training centres and providers, seeking examples of good practice in teaching and learning for digital competence development.  The ETF Innovation and Skills…

Moldova launches roadmap for e-Economy in response to coronavirus crisis

Spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, Moldova’s Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure has developed a roadmap fordigitising the economy.  The aim is to identify new reserves for increasing entrepreneurial activity in the country, as well as to facilitate remote interaction between…

System for remote monitoring of COVID-19 patients presented in Minsk

A remote system for analysing lung sounds to monitor the condition of patients with mild symptoms of COVID-19, has been presented in Minsk, the Belta news agency has reported A wireless digital stethoscope records noise, wheezing and other sounds and transfers them to a smartphone application via Bl…

EU4Digital working on recommendations for measurement and forecasting of digital skills in Eastern partner countries

The EU4Digital programme is working on a methodology for measuring and forecasting digital skills for the Eastern partner countries, including recommendations to introduce common measurement practices in line with EU practices. Digital skills are not only essential for ICT specialists or companies u…

EaPeReg contributes to ITU Regional Development Forum for Europe

The Eastern Partnership Electronic Communications Regulators Network (EaPeReg) took part in the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Regional Development Forum for Europe on 26 May, contributing to the 2020-21 implementation plan for the ITU Regional Initiatives for Europe. The even…

EU4Digital eHealth Network Meeting: focus on efforts in eHealth regarding common guidelines, COVID-19 and country best practices

The EU4Digital eHealth team is organising an eHealth Network Meeting on 3 June, which aims to bring together network members from the six Eastern partner countries to share insights from activities in the area of eHealth and to facilitate information sharing about country best practices.  In th…

Innovative practice in eHealth – EU4Digital looks at best practices and priorities in Eastern partner countries

As part of its effort to facilitate the involvement of Eastern partner countries in relevant EU projects, programmes and initiatives, EU4Digital’s eHealth team has performed an analysis on the best practices available in the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP…

EU4Digital publishes guidelines for National Digital Skills Coalitions in the Eastern partner countries

The EU4Digital Facility has developed a set of guidelines on National Digital Skills Coalitions, as part of its support for the establishment of national coalitions for digital skills and jobs in the Eastern partner countries. The European Commission first launched ‘The Digital Skills and Jobs…

Managing intellectual property rights for digital innovation: meeting a key challenge for innovative SMEs

Ever since the late 19th century, the world has recognised people’s right to earn recognition or financial benefit from what they invent or create, a principle so significant that intellectual property rights (IPR) are outlined as a fundamental right in Article 27 of the Universal Declaration o…

UNOPS Global Innovation Challenge

The UNOPS Global Innovation Challenge on 31 July brings together innovators, entrepreneurs, programmers and developers to help advance resilient infrastructure with technology in the face of climate change. Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time. From the stability of our ecosy…

EU-funded projects provide innovative learning tools revolutionising digital education

Teachers, parents and students are finding it difficult to keep in contact with one another. Finding reliable, easy to use digital education tools has also proven difficult during the first few weeks of the lockdown due to Coronavirus pandemic. Two EU projects are providing free online services to h…

Coronavirus response: €56 million for solutions using medical technologies, digital tools and artificial intelligence

A new Horizon 2020 Call on Medical technologies, Digital tools and Artificial Intelligence analytics, with a budget of €56 million, was launched on 19 May to quickly deploy new solutions using medical technologies, digital tools and artificial intelligence to increase response capabilities to the co…

Webinar: COVID-19 and its impact on a new European vision on cybersecurity

On Friday, 29 May from 11.30 (CET), a webinar on ‘COVID-19 and its impact on a new European vision on cybersecurity’ is organised by the European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO), part of a series of webinars highlighting the added value of Eu…

ITU and EaPeReg join forces to strengthen impact of ICT on sustainable development

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the Eastern Partnership Electronic Communications Regulators Network (EaPeReg) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a high-level framework of cooperation in the area of information and communications techn…

Telecom Rules: EU4Digital on track with priorities as virtual communication replaces face-to-face meetings

During the last couple of years, virtual communication has become more and more popular in the business environment, helping to avoid the additional time and expenses that result from travelling to a physical meeting location. But a preference for face-to-face meetings still prevailed in some occasi…

Azerbaijan’s #TekkieHeroes Hackathon attracts over 600 applicants from 40+ countries to come up with solutions to cope with COVID-19 pandemic

Azerbaijan’s first global virtual hackathon was held last weekend, organised by the country’s Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies together with UNDP and SUP.VC, bringing together over 600 applicants from over 40 countries across the wor…

#hackthecrisis Global Matchathon: hackers meet investors, partners and policy leaders

After an incredible burst of hackathons around the world to support new ideas and innovation against the coronavirus pandemic, the Global Hack & #hackthecrisis, partnering with the European Commission, is organising a worldwide online MATCHATHON on 14-15 May, where…

Moldovan start-up develops telemedicine solution in European innovation hackathon

A telemedicine project, developed by a Moldovan couple, took part in the recent #EUvsVirus hackathon organised by the European Innovation Council. The event brought together more than 20,000 participants from the EU and beyond and aimed to identify future solutions to h…

List of digital skills resources to tackle challenges of coronavirus crisis

The EU’s Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition has compiled a list of digital skills resources and best practices for addressing the challenges of the coronavirus crisis. Throughout the current crisis precipitated by the coronavirus pandemic, the Digital Skills and Jobs Coalitio…

eHealth solutions to tackle COVID-19: virtual workshop highlights global and Eastern Partner responses

The EU4Digital eHealth team last month held an online workshop with representatives of the Eastern Partnership eHealth Network to address responses to the COVID-19 outbreak. The eHealth team shared their insights into how the crisis has been managed globally from a digital health perspective, and th…

Moldova: Minister of Economy and Infrastructure highlights government’s involvement in implementation of EU4Digital priorities

The Republic of Moldova’s Minister of Economy and Infrastructure Sergiu Railean has underlined the importance of his country’s participation in the EU4Digital initiative in comments on the occasion of Europe Day published on the Ministry’s website. A press release said developing the infor…

Moldova launches online trade portal for national and international business community

The Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure and the Customs Service of the Republic of Moldova last week launched a newCommercial Information Portal for the national and international business community – www.trade.gov.md – established with the support of the USAID Structural…

Digital skills in focus as vocational education adapts in the face of coronavirus

The coronavirus situation is an opportunity for everyone to develop their digital skills, but has also highlighted the digital divide, according to early conclusions of an online survey launched by the European Commission to identify the impact of the pandemic on Vocational Education and T…

Get ready for #DigiEduHack 2020

Do you want to make a difference in how we learn now and in the future? If so, your organisation can join the 2020 #DigiEduHack in November, a global movement dedicated to solving the toughest digital education challenges in the modern age. In 2…

Digital Skills Network meets virtually to discuss priorities for upcoming events and digital skills promotion activities

The EU4Digital Digital Skills Network met virtually on 29 April 2020 to discuss priorities for upcoming events (trainings, conferences, study visits), a digital skills promotion campaign and development of the Digital Skills Competence Framework for micro, small and medium sized enterprises (MSMEs)…

Distance Hackathon – Technologies in education

A hackathon for technology in school education is being organised in Georgia on 8-10 May, to create technological aids for pupils from seventh to twelfth grade to make visualizing, mastering and understanding their school material easier and more innovative. The hackathon – organised by the Kai…

Online psychological counselling during a pandemic – the winning business idea of Start-up Weekend Moldova 2020

The objective was to create a business in 54 hours, and now they are ready to deliver solutions suitable to the new reality generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Respiro project, which aims to provide free online psychological assistance to Moldovans abroad, is the winner of “S…

Moldovan regulator publishes statistical yearbook on development of electronic communications in 2019

The statistical yearbook on the development of electronic communications in 2019, published last week on the official website of the National Agency for Regulation in Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI), shows that the electronic communication…

Take part in an online accelerator and create a global start-up by staying at home – register now

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many businesses have ceased operations and many of them will not reopen. People will need solutions adapted to the new reality, and the most ingenious entrepreneurs are starting to develop them from now. In this context, the Dreamups Inn…

#EUvsVirus Hackathon identifies 117 solutions to support European and global recovery from the coronavirus outbreak

A total of 117 innovative solutions to tackle the coronavirus have been selected as winners of the European Innovation Council-led #EUvsVirus Hackathon, including a team with participants from Ukraine named as winners of the ‘remote working and education’ challenge. The top six challenge catego…

How digital technologies help people in rural areas of Belarus protect themselves from COVID-19 and continue to receive quality medical care

During seasonal viral diseases, the workload of clinics and hospitals increases significantly. The spread of coronavirus infection increased the burden on the healthcare system even further, and put vulnerable groups, especially older people, at risk. Georgy Khlebovich works as a Chief Physician in…

Coronavirus: EU online learning resources

The outbreak of COVID-19 and the national measures taken to tackle the spread of the virus have caused significant disruption to the provision of education, training and mobility opportunities for learners, teachers and educators across Europe.  To help learners, teachers and educators continue…

Armenia marks sharp increase in use of e-governance tools introduced with EU support

The number of people using Armenia’s e-governance tools for public services, introduced with the support of the European Union, has risen significantly during the state of emergency declared to curb the spread of coronavirus in the country.  The number of the applications sent by citizens in Ma…

Over 1,000 ideas from 98 countries in Global Hack against coronavirus

More than 12,000 participants from 98 countries presented over 1,000 ideas in the Global Hack against the coronavirus backed by the European Union and the EU4Digital initiative. They included 8 submissions from Georgia, 4 from Ukraine, 4 from Belarus, and 3 each from Armenia, Azerbaijan an…

Increased demand for electronic signatures in Moldova

The number of people in Moldova requesting and being issued with electronic signatures by the Centre for Information Technology in Finance (CTIF) rose by 6.5% in the first quarter of 2020 to reach almost 29,000 individuals and legal entities with electronic signatures by 31 March. The CTIF says the…

E-Economy and E-commerce – new programmes for the business environment in Moldova

Moldova’s Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure is preparing a comprehensive e-economy programme for digitizing all economic processes, Minister Sergiu Railean announced on 21 April. This programme will include measures on interaction and distance trading. Informa…

Tech Touch – online conference for Georgian business and technology professionals

Tech Touch – an online tech conference for Georgian business and technology professionals will take place on 29-31 May 2020. The three-day event will gather business owners, developers, and marketers to discuss current issues and find potential solutions to save business and overcome the crisis. IT…

Council of Europe launches cybercrime webinars

The Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe (C-PROC) has set up a programme of webinars to reach out to its community and continue working on strengthening capacities of criminal justice authorities worldwide. The first in the series of webinars will be focused on the…

Global State of Cybercrime Legislation webinar

The Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe (C-PROC) has set up a programme of webinars to reach out to its community and continue working on strengthening capacities of criminal justice authorities worldwide. The first in the series of webinars will be focused on the…

EU4Digital carrying out market assessment for Digital Innovation and Scale-up Initiative in Eastern partner countries

The European Union is supporting the extension of the Digital Innovation and Scale-up Initiative (DISC) to the Eastern partner countries, in line with the Eastern Partnership policy beyond 2020, assisting digital start-ups and SMEs to improve their access to finance, better reach into…

Only four EU countries lead the US in digitalisation – EIB launches new report on digitalisation in the EU and US

In the fight against the Coronavirus, digital technology is playing an unprecedented role in the maintenance of daily life and economic and social activities, as well as in the recovery of industry and business. The Coronavirus pandemic is becoming a tipping point for digitalisation – the dawn of a…

Startup Weekend Moldova back with online edition

Startup Weekend Moldova returns with a new online edition on 24-26 April. Moldova is one of 70 countries to hold the event as part of the ‘Techstars Global Online Startup Weekend’. This year’s edition will take place in a context where more and more…

Chisinau introduces online health monitoring for people in self-isolation or quarantine

The authorities in Moldova will monitor the health of people in self-isolation, quarantine or treatment at home due to coronavirus through a new online system. The initiative aims to centralise information on the health status of people during the state of eme…

Special COVID-19 support under COSME Loan Guarantee Facility

The European Investment Fund (EIF) and the European Commission are launching specific COVID-19 support under the COSME Loan Guarantee Facility (COSME LGF), which is also open to financial intermediaries supporting SMEs in Armenia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. Un…

EaPConnect partners support research and education during the COVID-19 pandemic

With researchers racing to understand COVID-19, and with people working and studying from home in many countries, national research and education network (NREN) organisations are providing tools and services to support these activities. Partners in the EU-funded EaPConnect project are no exception,…

EUvsVirus Hackathon to develop innovative solutions and overcome coronavirus-related challenges

To complement hackathons taking place at global and member state level, the European Commission – in close collaboration with EU member states as well as Norway, Israel, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom – will host a pan-European hackathon to connect civil society, innov…

E-account for everyone in Belarus

The National Centre for Electronic Services is creating a personal electronic account for Belarusian citizens. The project is being implemented in accordance with the “State programme for the development of the digital economy and the information society for 2016-2020”. The E-account will be a…

Construction begins on National Children’s Technopark in Minsk

Construction has begun on a National Children’s Technopark in Minsk. The launch of the Technopark is scheduled for January 2021.  The idea of the Technopark is based on combining the following elements in a single complex: convenient environment for studying, working and acquiring technical and digi…

Digital skills provide lifeline for pensioners in Belarus

Older people in rural Belarus are staying connected during the COVID-19 outbreak, thanks to the digital skills they have learnt from an EU-supported course. Over two years, more than 80 senior citizens in the Homieĺ region have received training in digital literacy through the Computer from scratch …

More than 1.5 million 4G mobile Internet users in Moldova

The total number of 4G mobile Internet users in Moldova increased by 51.6% in 2019, rising to just over 1.5 million, according to data from the National Agency for Regulation in Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI). Of these, about 1.45 million accessed the Intern…

Interested in deep-tech innovation? Join the EU’s STARTUP3 Accelerator – deadline 20 April

Are you an innovator, a start-up or an SME? Are you interested in the application of deep-tech innovation such as IoT, Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain, Virtual Reality, etc. in any sector of the European economy and industry? Does your business or project alrea…

Innovation ecosystems for start-ups: highlighting the key ingredients for success

What makes a good digital innovation ecosystem for start-ups? What are the key ingredients and how can they be brought together to optimise ICT innovation among businesses? These are the key questions that EU4Digital has been addressing in its review of EU best practices in ‘ICT innovation ecos…

Eastern partner countries approve methodology on regulatory independence assessment

The 9th Meeting of the Independent Regulators and Broadband Expert Working Group (IRB EWG) of the Eastern Partnership Electronic Communications Regulators Network (EaPeReg) took place in Belgrade, Serbia, on 3-4 March 2020. The meeting gathered representatives from all six Eastern partner countries…

Connect teachers: national campaign to support distance learning in Moldova

Moldova’s Ministry of Education, with the support of Orange Moldova and in collaboration with the University Information Centre has launched ‘Connect teachers’ – a national campaign aimed at ensuring the continuity of the distance education process. Orange Moldova will…

Moldova: mobile voice traffic tops 6 billion minutes in 2019

The volume of voice traffic on mobile networks in Moldova rose to more than 6 billion minutes in 2019, according to data on the evolution of the mobile voice market, reported by the National Agency for Regulation in Electronic Communications andInformation Technology (ANRCET…

EU supports Global Hack against the coronavirus: three days to go – sign up now!

There are three days to go until the Global Hack – an online hackathon designed to share and rapidly develop ideas for urgently needed solutions in the current coronavirus pandemic – backed by the European Union and the EU4Digital initiative. The European Commissio…

Ukrainian research network fast tracks new tool to support home research and education with help of EapConnect

As the world adapts to working and studying from home in the time of the coronavirus pandemic, in Ukraine researchers, students and teachers have a new tool to help them: eduMEET. This online meeting tool was rapidly deployed by the Ukrainian Research and Academic Network UR…

Fight for our future – join the world’s biggest online hackathon against coronavirus!

Tech activists in the Eastern partner countries and across the world are invited to take part in a global hackathon to find solutions in the face of the coronavirus crisis, taking place from 9-12 April, globally and online, across all timezones, organised by Estonia and supported by t…

HACK COVID-19: sign up now for global hackathon

Tech activists across the world are invited to take part in ‘HACK COVID-19’, a Global Virtual Hackathon to be held on April 10-12. The hackathon is organised with the support of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the United Nations Developm…

Cybercrime and coronavirus: warning from CyberEast project

The EU-funded CyberEast project has issued a warning about cyber threats during the COVID-19 pandemic. At a time when we all rely more than ever on computer systems, mobile devices and the Internet to work, communicate, shop, share and receive information and otherwise mitigate the im…

EU4Digital virtual workshop on eHealth: focus on best practices to address coronavirus

In response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the EU4Digital eHealth team is organising an extra online event on 2 April, bringing together stakeholders from the six Eastern partner countries to discuss issues around the coronavirus. The event will be an opportunity to share experience of how countries are…

Broadband access up in Moldova as users opt for higher speeds

Access to fixed broadband internet services in Moldova rose by 7.6% in 2019 to reach 670,500, according to figures released by the National Agency for Regulation in Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI).  The number of fibre optic connections (FTTx) …

Georgia: free online training for entrepreneurs

Georgia’s Innovation and Technology agency GITA is launching free online courses for entrepreneurs from March 31, where entrepreneurs will learn how to create online platforms to support their businesses, learn about their core management functions and how to work with their audience. The online cou…

Moldova: Ministry of Education launches distance training for teachers on use of digital resources and online video tutorials for pupils

The Ministry of Education, Culture and Research of the Republic of Moldova has launched distance training sessions for local trainers on the use of digital resources for education in response to the coronavirus quarantine, as well as uploading video tutorials for 9th an…

The future of digital: #stayhome and follow free EU CONNECT University sessions

While you #stayhome, take advantage of the EU’s CONNECT University to improve your knowledge of developments in the digital field. Check out the playlist of free CONNECT University sessions. Hear from experts on various topics like cybersecurity, disinformation, ar…

Tips for cybersecurity when working from home

The EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) has shared its top tips for teleworking in times of Covid-19. One of the key preventive measures against the spread of Covid-19 is social distancing. In an increasingly connected world, many people can continue thei…

EU working for safe cyberspace in face of coronavirus outbreak

EU bodies are working together to ensure cybersecurity as millions of people switch to teleworking and distance learning in the face of the coronavirus outbreak, according to a joint statement issued by the European Commission, the EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), the Computer Emergency Response…

Moldova: measures to keep public services online

Moldova’s Information Technology and Cyber ​​Security Service (STISC) has said it is taking the necessary measures in the face of the coronavirus epidemic to ensure that public services can continue to operate smoothly, including through remote working. The STISC said it would ensure the uninterrupt…

eTrade in focus: cutting down border waiting times through customs information exchange

In an increasingly globalised world with fast-growing traffic and cross-border activities, cooperation and information exchange among the Customs Administrations that perform controls on both sides of the border plays a crucial role in facilitating legal trade. Effective cooperation and automation o…

Hack the Virus (Online) – hackathon against COVID-19 in Moldova

The Tekwill project and the C19.MD initiative in Moldova are today launching a two-day online hackathon against the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative aims to identify solutions for informing, preventing and improving the critical situation caused by COVID-19, using the technologies availab…

Eastern Partnership: new policy objectives for beyond 2020 – digital transformation one of the five key priorities

Support for a resilient digital transformation is one of the five policy priorities highlighted by the European Commission in its proposal for the long-term policy objectives of the Eastern Partnership beyond 2020, released on 18 March. The new policy objectives aim at increasing trade, strengt…

Digital projects among youth grant winners in Moldova

Two digital projects are among the 24 winners of the 2020 Grant Programme for Youth Organizations announced by the Republic of Moldova’s Ministry of Education, Culture and Research. The 24 projects – selected from a total of 58 – will be financed from the state budget, with about…

Access to finance for digital innovation: what are the key steps to bridge the gap with the EU?

Regulatory sandboxes and business angels, crowdfunding and venture capital – the terms may be colourful,  but the support they describe is vital to the funding ecosystem needed to kick-start and support ICT innovation among small businesses in the countries of the Eastern Neighbourhood. In…

EaPConnect: supporting academic publishing in Ukraine

The publication of scientific results has many benefits and digital publishing takes it all to a higher level, with opportunities for more open access to information and its wider reach. In Ukraine, there was little digital publishing of academic articles and journals until 2011. That year, URAN Pub…

Broadband infrastructure mapping: outcomes from the first regional workshop of EaP and the World Bank Group

On 20-21 February 2020, the first Regional Workshop of the EaP and the World Bank on broadband infrastructure mapping took place at the headquarters of the Polish Regulator – the Office of Electronic Communications (UKE) in Warsaw.  The workshop organised for representatives of the Eastern part…

Georgia to offer online course on Innovation and Technology

Online courses on entrepreneurship, technology and innovation will be launched in Georgia shortly, under the initiative of the Innovation and Technology Agency of the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development and the University of Business and Technology. The courses will involve professors an…

IT scholarships for young people in Balti and Cahul regions

Two projects are together launching scholarships for IT training programmes in the Balti and Cahul regions of Moldova. In order to extend development opportunities in the regions and to create the premises for connecting human capital with local IT companies, the Tekwill Project (funded by USAID and…

EU4Digital launches activities to harmonise eCommerce between EU and Eastern partner countries

Activities to harmonise eCommerce between the EU and the Eastern partner countries were launched on 12 February as part of the eTrade component of the EU4Digital Facility. Electronic commerce – or eCommerce – refers to the buying and selling of goods and services from anywhere in the world through c…

Register now for 42 Yerevan – free programming school supported by the EU

Registration at 42 Yerevan is now open for a completely free programming school that will see you go from zero experience in the field to a programming guru ready to take on the job market, as part of a project funded by the European Union.  42 Yerevan is a tuition…

Cloud workshop brings together major providers with research and education networks from EU and Eastern partner countries

Cloud managers from European research and education networks and leading cloud suppliers came together for a range of training activities during a workshop organised by the EU-funded EaPConnect and GÉANT projects. Participants met on 4-5 March in Nicosia, Cyprus, hosted by CyNet. The event was arran…

Robotics sets distributed in 45 schools in Moldova

More students across the Republic of Moldova will have an opportunity to develop the skills needed for 21st century careers, after 45 schools, 26 of them in rural areas, received robotics sets from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research, as part of a proje…

International roaming and regulatory independence discussed during EU4Digital country visits in Armenia and Ukraine

In February 2020, the EU4Digital team carried out country visits to Armenia and Ukraine focused on issues related to International Roaming and Regulatory Independence. The meetings were attended by the main local stakeholders, including representatives from National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs…

EU and Council of Europe bring 30 countries together in Tbilisi to discuss cybercrime

On 26-28 February, the EU and the Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe (C-PROC) organised an international meeting in Tbilisi for foreign service providers from across the world to discuss challenges and future cooperation to combat cybercrime.  Cooperat…

Georgia: innovation start-up camp for students

An Innovation Start-up Camp for Students will be held in Bakuriani, Georgia, from March 12 to March 15. The camp is organised by the Georgian Innovation and Technology Agency (GITA), in the framework of the World Bank’s National Innovation Ecosystem project. The main topic of the camp will be biotec…

Germany interested in investing in Belarusian start-ups

On February 5, a German parliamentary delegation visited the Belarus Hi-Tech Park in Minsk. The delegation was led by Mark Hauptmann, member of the Bundestag Committee on Economic Affairs and Energy, and head of the German-Belarusian friendship group. The German delegation was particularly…

Armenian Enterprise Incubator Foundation supporting Moldova in development of IT education strategy

The Armenian Enterprise Incubator Foundation (EIF) has announced that it is actively working on the development of the Moldovan IT Education Strategy.  The foundation said it had carried out extensive research to understand the existing situation in Moldova and the key bottleneck…

Ukraine: new telecoms legislation to provide consumer protection, transparent rules for operators and integration with the EU

The digital divide doesn’t allow millions of Ukrainians to take advantage of high-quality digital services and modern educational opportunities as well as unlock entrepreneurial potential on a daily basis, according to the EU-supported Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO), which aims to change t…

Mentorship scheme for EaP research & education networks starts with Armenia-Germany alliance

Collaboration on emergency response testing and optimisation of the eduroam wifi roaming service were the subject of two agreements recently signed between the Armenian and German national research and education networking (NREN) organisations ASNET-AM and DFN.  Representati…

CyberEast: project steering committee meets to discuss way forward

The European Commission and the Cybercrime Programme Office of the Council of Europe (C-PROC) held the first steering committee of the ‘CyberEast: Action on Cybercrime for Cyber Resilience in the Eastern Partnership Region’project on 13-14 February in Kyiv, Ukraine. The…

Moldova and Belarus hold talks on reduction of roaming charges

Moldova and Belarus have held talks on reducing roaming charges between the two countries, the Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure in Chisinau said in a press release on 20 February. The Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure held a round of negotiations, via videoco…

eCustoms working meeting with Belarus and Lithuania for customs information exchange pilot

Following the European Commission’s confirmation of Belarus and Lithuania as pilot countries for the EU-EaP customs information exchange pilot, the first eCustoms working meeting with confirmed pilot countries will be held in Vilnius, Lithuania on 27 February. The event is organised by EU4Digital Fa…

EaP countries on study visit to Moldova to learn about experience of e-transformation of governance and modernisation of public services

Moldova’s E-Government Agency, in partnership with GIZ, on 18-19 February hosted colleagues and representatives of other countries of the Eastern Partnership (EaP) – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia and Ukraine – for a study visit on…

New IT Hub opens in Tbilisi

The opening ceremony of IT HUB Tbilisi will take place at the TechPark in the Georgian capital on 22 February. The launch of this new educational centre is carried out jointly by StrategEast Georgia (the Georgian affiliate of the US-based StrategEast Centre) and the leading US engineering company EP…

Hash Code 2020

The Generator Hub in Chisinau hosts Google’s #HashCode team-based programming competition on 20 February. The competition for programmers, both beginner student developers and experienced professionals will traditionally take place in several stages, with the first online qualification…

eHealth workshop highlights key areas for development in Eastern partner countries

The EU4Digital eHealth team held an online video workshop on 11 February bringing together stakeholders from the six Eastern partner countries to facilitate collaboration in the area of eHealth. The workshop first focused on discussing the results of the project’s eHealth harmonization and interoper…

Creative Touch event for digital professionals in Georgia

The Creative Touch event for digital creative professionals takes place in Kazbegi in the mountains of Georgia on 27-29 February. Participants will hear industry insights from the brightest minds representing companies like DreamWorks Animation, Smashing Media, Wargaming, Scorpion Dagger, Revolver E…

Moldova: more than 32,000 have electronic signatures for government e-services

Another 18,000 Moldovans received an electronic signature from the Centre of information technologies in finance (CTIF) in 2019, with 11.8% more new users than in 2018. At the end of 2019, the total number of natural and legal persons with electronic signatures issued by the CTIF…

EU and Ukraine sign agreement for €25 million programme for e-governance and the digital economy

Ukraine and the European Union on 11 February signed an agreement for a new €25 million EU programme supporting e-governance and digital economy in Ukraine. The agreement was signed by Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration Dmytro Kuleba and visiting EU…

Women in Data Science initiative coming to Armenia with events in Yerevan and Ashtarak

As the new partner of Stanford University’s Women in Data Science initiative (WiDS), Armenia’s Enterprise Incubator Foundation (EIF) in partnership with Innovative Solutions and Technology Center (ISTC), will organise two conferences on the topic of Women in D…

Moldova: report identifies major gender gap in ICT professions

Women and girls occupy only 31% of jobs in the ICT sector in Moldova and only 19% of digital professions, according to a study released by the National Bureau of Statistics.  Only 4.6% of the girls studying in higher education choose STEM (Science, Technologies, Engineering and Mathem…

Ukraine: Ministry of Digital Transformation launches Digital Skills platform

Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation on 21 January launched a national online platform in Digital Skills – https://osvita.diia.gov.ua/. An edutainment format has been chosen for the platform: instead of lessons, there are educational series with experts and celebrities, for…

EaP countries among cheapest in the world for broadband

The countries of the Eastern Partnership are among the cheapest in the world for broadband, with Ukraine coming in second and Belarus fifth out of 206 measured, according to research by Cable.co.uk. Ukraine is the cheapest country in the EaP with an average package price of just …

Moldova boasts dynamic growth in IT sector

Turnover in the IT industry in Moldova has grown more than two and a half times in the past three years, Moldovan Prime Minister Ion Chicu has told the ‘Digital Almaty: Digital Future of Global Economy’ forum in Kazakhstan. Ion Chicu told the opening of the forum that consolidation of the IT sector…

Belarus: Prime Minister says IT sphere is national priority

The IT sphere is a national priority for the development of Belarus, Belarusian Prime Minister Sergei Rumas told the Digital Future of the Global Economy forum in Almaty on 31 January, the BelTA news agency reported. “With the ambitious goal of creating an IT country, w…

Belarus: Prime Minister says IT sphere is national priority

The IT sphere is a national priority for the development of Belarus, Belarusian Prime Minister Sergei Rumas told the Digital Future of the Global Economy forum in Almaty on 31 January, the BelTA news agency reported. “With the ambitious goal of creating an IT country, w…

Belarus: Prime Minister says IT sphere is national priority

The IT sphere is a national priority for the development of Belarus, Belarusian Prime Minister Sergei Rumas told the Digital Future of the Global Economy forum in Almaty on 31 January, the BelTA news agency reported. “With the ambitious goal of creating an IT country, w…

From start-up ecosystems to innovation funding: EU4Digital begins ICT legislation gap analysis across priority areas

The EU4Digital Facility has begun the EU-Eastern Partnership (EaP) legislation gap analysis in the priority ICT policy areas that have been selected by the EaP partner countries. The completed gap analysis will be the starting point for the development of recommendations favouring ICT innovation in…

Roundtable on digital skills and jobs in Minsk

A roundtable on digital skills and jobs took place on 19 December 2019 in Minsk, underlining the economic potential that digital skills transformation could unlock in Belarus. The event was organised by the ‘Infopark’ Association within the framework of the project “Promoting the formation of an age…

eSkills Network Workshop in Tbilisi highlights developments in digital skills

The 7th eSkills Network Workshop took place in Tbilisi, Georgia on 17-18 December 2019, highlighting latest developments in the field of digital skills and discussing the current baseline for the measurement of digital skills indicators in the Eastern Partner countries. The EU4Digital Digi…

EU4Digital eHealth information and collaboration online workshop

The EU4Digital eHealth team is organising an online workshop on 11 February to bring together stakeholders from the six Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries to facilitate collaboration in the area of eHealth. The aim of the information and communication online workshop will be to address coinciding c…

EaP Connect Cybersecurity Workshop

Building on the success of the first EaPConnect Cybersecurity workshop, which took place in Berlin on 27-28 June 2018, this second event, rescheduled for 2-3 September 2020 (TBC) in Tbilisi will go into more technical areas of cybersecurity. Local host GRENA will present an overview of its cybersecu…

1st EaP Regional Workshop on Broadband Development

The workshop is organised under the EU4Digital Initiative by the Independent Regulators and Broadband Expert Working Group (IRB EWG) of the Eastern Partnership Electronic Communications Regulators Network (EaPeReg), in cooperation with the World Bank Group and the Office for Electronic Communication…

Meeting of the Independent Regulators and Broadband Expert Working Group

The 9th meeting of the Independent Regulators and Broadband Expert Working Group (IRB EWG) of the Eastern Partnership Electronic Communications Regulators Network (EaPeReg) will be held on 3-4 March 2020 in Belgrade, Serbia. The event will be organised by the IRB EWG and financed by the Europea…

Implementation of LTE-900 high-speed mobile Internet on track with joint statement by largest operators in Ukraine

The three largest operators in Ukraine, Kyivstar, lifecell and Vodafone Ukraine have submitted a joint statement on redistribution of the 900 MHz band and separate applications for licence renewal to the National Commission for the State Regulation of Communications and…

Moldovan telecoms regulator examined 182 petitions in 2019

Moldova’s National Agency for Regulation in Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) registered and examined 182 petitions, received from users of electronic communications and postal services in 2019, a decrease of 32% compared to 2018. Of the total number…

Moldova: looking for innovative ideas for ICT education and training

The National Association of ICT Companies (ATIC) in Moldova is launching the second edition of its ‘Uteach’ programme, as part of the ‘Tekwill Ambassador Programme’. The initiative provides development opportunities and resources for education in the fiel…

Five more technology parks to be opened in Belarus

Five new technology parks are to be created in Belarus, in Baranovichi, Borisov, Bobruisk, Orsha and Molodechno, the Chairman of the State Committee on Science and Technology, Alexander Shumilin, has announced. There are currently 16 technology parks and nine technology transfer centres in Bela…

EU provides Georgia with cybercrime investigation software

On 21 January, the EU, together with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), donated new ID verification technology and cybercrime investigation software to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) of Georgia. The equipment will help the MIA to conduct in-depth checks o…

Cybercrime training for Ukrainian judges

The EU-funded CyberEast project held a four-day judicial training on cybercrime for Ukrainian judges in Lviv, from 21-24 January. The training was organised by the National School of Judges of Ukraine within the framework and with support of ‘CyberEast: Action on Cybercrime for C…

Moldovan government approves changes to procedures for electronic customs clearance of goods

The Moldovan government has approved changes to the procedures for the electronic customs clearance of goodsin a decision taken by the Cabinet on 15 January. The changes include:  – the extension of the electronic declaration procedure for the “re-export” customs destin…

Moldova set to increase validity of electronic signature

Moldova looks set to increase the validity of electronic signatures from one to two years, with no additional cost, in a move aimed to meet business demands. Finance Minister Sergiu Puşcuţa told a Cabinet meeting last week that he had discussed the issue with the Inform…

Music and technology connect traditions in Baku-Tallinn concert premiere

A world premiere of new compositions for traditional instruments was at the heart of ‘Connecting Traditions’, a ‘distributed’ concert that brought together performers located in Baku, Azerbaijan and Tallinn, Estonia on 20 December 2019.  The concert was organised in Baku by …

EuCNC 2020 “The Connectivity Revolution” – Save the date and open calls

EuCNC 2020, held from 15-18 June, is the 29th edition of a successful series of technical conferences in the field of Telecommunications, sponsored by IEEE ComSoc and EURASIP, and financially supported by the European Commission.  This year’s motto is “The Connectivity Revolution”. Calls for papers,…

International Cybersecurity Forum (FIC) 2020

One of the leading European events on cybersecurity and digital trust, the International Cybersecurity Forum (FIC) will be held on 28, 29 and 30 January 2020 in Lille, France.  It is not only a forum which fosters reflection and exchanges among the European cybersecurity ecosystem but also a tr…

Georgia approves broadband development strategy 2020-2025

As part of Georgia’s programme on Broadband Infrastructure Development, the strategy for the development of broadband networks 2020-2025 was approved by the government on 9 January. According to Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Natia Turnava, the strategy aims not only at creating inf…

Tekwill Academy Open Doors Day

The Tekwill Academy in Chisinau is holding an open day on 18 January for anyone who wants to know more about the latest courses and trends in the field of IT. The open day provides an opportunity to explore career opportunities in Software Development, Security, Quality Assurance, Pro…

Cost of registering ‘.md’ domain name cut by 33%

The cost for registration services of the ‘.md’ domain name has been reduced by 33%, the Information Technology and Cyber ​​Security Service of the Republic of Moldova (STISC) announced on 2 January.  The new year also sees the STISC absorbing…

Moldovan e-government project in the spotlight

Moldovan Prime Minister Ion Chicu has held a meeting to examine the progress of the implementation of the e-government project, Unimedia reported on 4 January.  “The digitalization and massive implementation of Information Technologies is a priority of the Government,” …

Roaming charges between Belarus and Russia to be abolished by September 2020

The Belarusian and Russian communications ministries have signed a roadmap on abolishing roaming charges between the two countries.  Under the roadmap on the abolition of roaming charges, the relevant legislative framework is expected to be ready by March 2020, and charges should be cancelled n…

Do you enjoy programming? Try your powers at Game of Codes

Young programming enthusiasts are invited to participate in the ‘Game of Codes’ (GOC), a programming contest organised by Tekwill Academy Kids in Chisinau on 24 December. The competition is aimed at teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18, whether they are beginners or already have advanced knowledg…

Innovation start-up grants in Georgia: apply before 27 December

Small enterprises in Georgia have until 27 December to apply start-up grants financed by Georgia’s Innovation and Technology Agency (GITA). The objective of the programme is to stimulate innovation and the creation of innovative enterprises in the Georgian economy throu…

Belarus: regional innovation centre to be created in Molodechno as part of EU-funded project

A regional innovation centre is being created In Molodechno, Belarus, as part of an EU-funded project implemented by the UNDP. The Technopark is planned to open its doors by the end of 2020. The EnCata-Mol Techpark project was announced on 10 December as the winner of a competition of initiatives ai…

Competition on mobile robotic systems and the Internet of Things in Chisinau

An international competition on mobile robotic systems and the Internet of Things (IoT) is taking place on 12-13 December at the Faculty of Computers, Informatics and Microelectronics in Chisinau. The ‘EARTH ROVER: Connecting Things – 2019’ competition this year also features…

Market value of fixed broadband Internet access services in Moldova exceeded 1 billion lei in first nine months of 2019

Between January and September 2019, the market for fixed broadband Internet access services in Moldova registered a significant increase, with the volume of sales rising by 6.1% year-on-year to reach 1.16 billion lei. The number of subscribers also i…

EaP Connect training boosts AzScienceNet network service capabilities for research

Staff at the Azeri research network AzScienceNet have received training under the EU-funded EaPConnect project, boosting their ability to integrate the local scientific community with their peers in Europe. Since the series of trainings in October, which focused on the operation and config…

Renaissance music techniques meet cutting edge technology to connect Armenia and Italy

When 17th century composers created music to be performed in St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice, little did they realise that their ground-breaking musical techniques would allow a 21st century performance across a record-breaking 5,000 kilometres. Or that this would create a musical connection…

EU-backed e-procurement tool MTender saves Moldova €25 million

MTender, an electronic public procurement system supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Union, has helped Moldova save €25 million since it was launched in late 2018. The savings represent the difference between the budgeted value of procuremen…

Georgia: meeting on eSignatures and electronic service portal

The Data Exchange Agency of Georgia’s Ministry of Justice of Georgia has held a meeting for staff of the National Parliamentary Library of Georgia regarding the use of the Unified Portal of Electronic Services (My.gov.ge) and electronic signatures.  The aim of the meeting was to raise the…

CyberEast: pilot judicial training in Ukraine

As part of CyberEast, a joint project of the European Union and the Council of Europe, a group of around 30 judges from across Ukraine, together with National School of Justice staff and trainers, last month received training through an introductory course on Cybercrime, Ele…

Increasing demand for 4G mobile Internet in Moldova

The number of users accessing data through 4G mobile Internet in Moldova is up 55% to almost 1.6 million people, according to data released by the National Agency for Regulation in Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) for the first nine months of 2019. The total number of m…

Moldova: volume of voice traffic in mobile networks tops 4.6 billion minutes in first nine months of 2019

Statistical data on the evolution of the market in mobile telephony services, aggregated by the National Agency for Regulation in Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI), shows an increase in voice traffic in the first nine months of this year….

Belarusian banks to be tested for cyber resilience

The head of the central banking supervision department of the National Bank of Belarus, Mashnina Yelena, has announced that nine Belarusian banks will undergo an IT audit to test their cyber resilience.  The IT audit will be composed of the following stages: analysis of the current state of inf…

Belarus to develop 5G strategy

Belarus is to set up a working group to develop a strategy for creating fifth generation (5G) cellular mobile telecommunication network in the country, following an order of the Prime Minister, dated 20 November. The working group is entrusted with the duties of:  Elaboration of the strategy on…

NerUzh 2.0 Diaspora Startup Programme launch

The NerUzh 2.0 Diaspora Startup Programme is organized with the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs and the Ministry of High-Tech Industry with the aim of supporting diaspora entrepreneurs to launch start-ups in Armenia. The target sectors of the programme include Fintech, Social T…

Realising Armenia’s Technology Potential

EU4Digital’s Armenia HDM (Harmonisation of Digital Markets) coordinator will participate in a panel discussion during a workshop on “Realizing Armenia’s Technology Potential” hosted by the World Bank Group in Armenia on 11 December. The workshop brings together various institutions of the Government…

Stimulating the growth of blockchain: ICT Innovation event brings together EaP experts for three days of networking

The EU4Digital Facility brought together 20 experts from the six Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries for a three-day ICT Innovation networking event around the issue of blockchain, which took place in Malaga, Spain on 11-13 November. The networking event was aimed at EaP startups and scaleups, busin…

New EU Twinning project to help Ukraine improve electronic communications regulatory framework

A new EU-funded Twinning project to improve quality of service and market access in telecommunications in Ukraine was launched on November 29, involving a Consortium of Lithuanian and Latvian regulatory authorities in cooperation with the National Commission for the State Regulation of Communic…

Ukraine: Ministry launches website for measuring speed of broadband Internet connection

The Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine has launched a website (www.broadband.gov.ua) measuring consumers’ broadband Internet connection speed and allowing them to share feedback on the connection quality.  The aim is to draw a map of the Internet coverage of Ukraine. According to the…

Digital Ukraine: round-up of developments from the Ministry of Digital Transformation in November

Electronic driving licences, cryptocurrency legislation and developments in eHealth are among the digital developments overseen by the Ministry of Digital Transformation in Ukraine in the past month, according to a round-up by the Rubryka.com online media. E-Driving Licences and Technical…

Digital Transport Corridor workshops take place in Belarus, Ukraine and Lithuania

Digital Transport Corridor working meetings were organised by the EU4Digital Facility in Belarus, Ukraine and Lithuania on 25, 26 and 28 November. The aim of the meetings was to present and discuss the concept of a Digital Transport Corridor between the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea, the situation in…

Georgia: recommendations for national roaming and mobile virtual network operator access

Georgia’s National Communications Commission has published a set of ‘Recommendations for Conditions of National Roaming and Mobile Virtual Network Operator Access’, developed under an agreement between the Commission and PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory LLC. The purpose of the document is to est…

Meeting to discuss national cyber security strategy in Georgia

A donor coordination meeting was organised in Tbilisi by the Georgian Data Exchange Agency (DEA) and the British Embassy to discuss the 3rd National Strategy for Cyber ​​Security, the DEA reported on 27 November. The process of developing the strategy and its action plan is currently in its final st…

Digital transformation in focus at Minsk international conference

More than 200 participants learned about the EU-funded EaPConnect project and the Belarusian research and education network BASNET at an international conference in Minsk on 21 November. The RINTI 2019 conference was organised by the United Institute of Informatics Prob…

Special training provides computer security boost for Eastern Partnership research and education

The EU-funded EaPConnect project has been supporting partners in the Eastern Partnership region to build up collaboration across computer security teams in different geographic locations and disciplines, a crucial task in maintaining research and education networks supported by the pr…

Cloud platforms for research in focus at EaPConnect workshop

Knowledge sharing on the uses of cloud platforms in research and education was the purpose of a two-day workshop organised by the EU-funded Eastern Partnership Connect (EaPConnect) project and the Italian national research and education network (NREN) GARR in Rome on 21-22 Novemb…

Broadband access is ‘key to digital transformation of Ukraine’

Broadband access is an essential driver for the development of the Ukrainian economy and society, the head of the Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO) told the “Digital Transformation 2019” Forum in Kyiv on 26 November. The forum was organised by Huawei Ukraine in partne…

Minsk named one of the best tech start-up hubs in Europe

Minsk has been named as one of the three best cities in Europe for the development of IT start-ups in the annual State of European Tech 2019 report by the Atomico Investment Fund. The other two cities are Cluj-Napoca in Romania and Delft in the Netherlands. Minsk is also among the top 20 c…

Focus on Georgian community Internet access at European Community Networks Summit in Tbilisi

The European Community Networks Summit was held in Tbilisi on November 14-15, with a special focus on the successful implementation of projects on community Internet access in mountainous regions of Georgia.  The Summit was organised by the global nonprofit organisation the Internet Society (IS…

Development of digital economy is top priority, Deputy Minister tells Internet Governance Forum in Georgia

The development of Georgia’s digital economy is one of the government’s top priorities, the Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development has told the fifth Georgian Internet Governance Forum (GeoIGF), held on 12-13 November, and co-organised by the Ministry. The Forum – held annually in Ge…

Eastern Partnership countries agree principles of Regional Roaming Agreement

The basic principles of a Regional Roaming Agreement for the Eastern Partnership countries have been agreed at the Roaming Stakeholder Meeting of the Network of Eastern Partnership Regulators for Electronic Communications (EaPeReg) held in Vilnius, Lithuania on 12 November. The agreement is exp…

Future priorities in focus at eTrade Network workshop

Future pilot actions and priorities were discussed at the 7th eTrade Network Workshop, which took place in Helsinki, Finland on 9-11 October. During the first day of the workshop, participants also took part in the Digital Transport Days – an EU event dedicated to the digitalization of trade, t…

EU4Digital team conducts site visit to Lithuania-Belarus border crossing point

Members of the EU4Digital Facility team and officials from the European Commission have visited a crossing point on the Lithuanian-Belarusian border (Medininkai/Kamennyj Log) to get acquainted with local circumstances and the situation relating to cargo traffic on the external land border of the Eur…

Assessment of regulatory independence discussed at EU4Digital Independent Regulators and Broadband Expert Working Group meeting

The Independent Regulators and Broadband Expert Working Group (IRB EWG) of the EaPeReg Network (Eastern Partnership Electronic Communications Regulators Network) has met to discuss assessment of the independence of National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs). The meeting took place in Hera…

Cyber security specialists gather in Chisinau for Moldova Cyber Week 2019

The event brought together participants from the US, Switzerland, Ukraine, Georgia, Romania and other states, as well as several senior Moldovan government officials. Prime Minister Ion Chicu addressed the opening of the event: “One country does not have the resources a…

E-commerce Association established in Belarus

The Association of E-commerce (APOT) has been created in Belarus, with the aim of representing the interests of e-commerce entrepreneurs, developing proposals to improve conditions for online sales, and exchange experience with similar business communities in other countries. Belarusian businesses e…

Digital Skills and Jobs roundtable in Minsk

A ‘Digital Skills and Jobs’ roundtable was organised on 19 December, 2019 in Minsk, as part of the EU4Digital Initiative. The main goal of the round table was to discuss the need to consolidate the community interested in the development of digital skills and jobs in Belarus, to introduce a director…

eSkills network workshop in Tbilisi

An eSkills network workshop was organised by EU4Digital in Tbilisi on 17-18 December.  The main goal of the eSkills network workshop was to enable the Eastern Partner countries to exchange insights and latest developments in the field of digital skills and to discuss the current baseline in the part…

Austria to assist Belarus with 5G roll-out

The Austrian and Belarusian governments have signed a joint declaration agreeing to cooperate in the deployment of Belarus’ 5G network, the Belarusian state news agency Belta has reported. Speaking after a meeting between members of the two governments, Belarusian Economy Minister Dmitry Krutoi said…

Tech women ambassadors – new initiative to inspire girls and women to pursue career in IT

A new initiative has been launched in Moldova to encourage women to pursue careers in IT. The ‘Tech Women Ambassadors’ programme is led by the Tekwill project and the Tech Women Community, and is designed to enhance and facilitate the transfer of knowledge, motivation and experience between Informat…

Moldova Cyber Week 2019 – Regional Cyber Security Forum

A regional Cyber Security Forum takes place in the Moldovan capital Chisinau on November 19-20, supported by the European Union, as part of Moldova Cyber ​​Week 2019. The event takes place at the ICT Centre of Excellence in the ‘Tekwill’ area (9/11 Student str.), organised by the…

Better and cheaper Internet for research and education in the South Caucasus, thanks to EaPConnect

Students, researchers and academics in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia will be able to better collaborate internationally thanks to improved Internet connectivity at more competitive market prices, achieved with the support of the EU-funded Eastern Partnership Connect (EaPConnect) project. Prices fo…

Roaming Stakeholder Meeting

The Roaming Stakeholders Meeting will be held on 12 November 2019 in Vilnius, Lithuania to discuss options for concluding a Regional Roaming Agreement.  The event will be organised by the Communications Regulatory Authority of the Republic of Lithuania (RRT), as the Co-Chair of the Roaming Expe…

Internet switched on in Georgian mountain villages

More than a thousand people in 76 mountain villages in Georgia have been connected to the Internet as part of a government project to support the development of mountain regions. The Pshav-Khevsureti and Gudamakari Community Internet Project is being implemented by the Ministry of Economy and Sustai…

Moldova rolls out online health information and tracking system

Moldova’s National Medical Insurance Company (CNAM) is rolling out an online information system for reporting and keeping track of medical services. The CNAM told medical providers the system would start being tested by medical service providers from November. The system will all…

Azerbaijan holds its second Innovation Week

For the second year, Baku has hosted InnoWeek, an event dedicated to innovation and technology, from 18-24 October, which also included a two-day eTrade forum. The event was organised by the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies and the Heydar Aliyev Centre. Among the InnoWeek…

14th EaPeReg Plenary meeting

The 14th Plenary Meeting of the EaPeReg Network (Eastern Partnership Electronic Communications Regulators Network) will take place in Riga, Latvia on November 27, 2019. The event will be organised by Sabiedrisko pakalpojumu regulēšanas komisija (SPRK) as a Vice – Chair of th…

Telecom workshop on roaming issues

A workshop on ‘Issues related to Roam Like at Home (RLAH) and National Roaming’ will take place in Riga, Latvia on 26 November 2019. The event will be organized by Sabiedrisko pakalpojumu regulēšanas komisija (SPRK) as a Vice-Chair of the EaPeReg Network (Eastern Partnership Electronic Com…

EU supports resilience of Ukraine’s electoral system against cyber threats and disinformation campaigns

On October 31, the Estonian Centre of Eastern Partnership (ECEAP) in cooperation with CybExer Technologies (CybExer) and Ukraine Crisis Media Centre held a conference in Kyiv on ‘Disinformation and Cyber Security during Elections in Ukraine: Lessons Learned and Future Steps’. The conference conclude…

Azerbaijani officials to visit Estonia for study visit on cyber security

Three senior officials from Azerbaijan’s Cyber Security Service under the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies travel to Estonia on 12-13 November for an EU-funded study visit to learn and discuss Estonia’s experience in developing and i…

Electronic digital signatures for Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange

On November 1, the Belarusian Universal Commodity Exchange (BUCE) started issuing free electronic digital signatures (EDS) for participation in exchange trades. Both Belarusian and foreign companies are now eligible for receiving an EDS free of charge. This is supposed to make BUCE trading platforms…

Digital Solutions for Cross-Border Cooperation and Trade Facilitation

A conference on ‘Digital Solutions for Cross-Border Cooperation and Trade Facilitation’ is being organised In Yerevan, Armenia on 18-19 November by the State Revenue Committee of the Republic of Armenia, together with UNDP, ICMPD and the European Union within the framework of the EU-funded ‘Migratio…

Belarus: new application helps doctors connect with Ministry of Health

A new application has been launched for doctors in Belarus to allow them easy access to all the clinical protocols set out by the Ministry of Health. ‘Lekar Pro’ is available on Android and iOS, and contains the full database of clinical protocols of the Ministry of Health of Belarus, according to d…

Free IT training programme for girls and women in Moldova

Girls and women from Moldova can benefit from new career opportunities by signing up forthe second edition of the National IT Training Programme. The deadline for registration is 1 November. The current edition will allow participants to opt for one of the 3 study areas: Front-End Development, Softw…

Moldova: cyber security training for ministry employees

A cyber security training was held on 23 October for more than 50 employees of the Republic of Moldova’s Ministry of Economy and Infrastructure. The ministry staff were acquainted with the challenges and risks arising from the cyber environment and provided with the minimum necessary…

Information technologies in education – Moldova signs agreement with Development Partners

The Republic of Moldova has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with development partners on the efficient implementation of information technologies in the educational system. The agreement was between the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research (MECC), the Compet…

Moldova and Poland strengthen ties between regulatory authorities in the field of electronic communications

A delegation from the Polish regulatory authorities for electronic communication carried out a working visit to Chisinau on October 22-23at the invitation of their Moldovan counterparts. The National Agency for Regulation in Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI)hosted t…

ICT Career Orientation 2019 Chisinau

On 31 October, young people interested in the opportunity of a career or growth prospects in the IT field are invited to attend ICT Career Orientation in Chisinau, Moldova’s largest professional orientation event in the field of Information and Communication Techno…

Eastern Partnership Annual Conference for Research and Innovation takes place in Chisinau

Moldova’s Ministry of Education, Culture and Research with the support of the European Union’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation and the Directorate-General Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations on 21 October organised theannual Easte…

Chisinau hosts meeting of Expert Group on Radio Frequency Spectrum in the Eastern Partnership

Between 8 and 10 October, Moldova’s National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communications and Information Technology (ANRCETI) hosted the 9th Expert Group meeting of the EaPeReg Network (Eastern Partnership Electronic Communications Regulators Network) on the Radio Frequency Spectrum (SEWG). The…

Second EaP eDemocracy Conference ‘Digitalisation and Transformation: Effects on Democracy’

The 2nd Eastern PartnershipeDemocracy Conference in Lviv on 22 November will assemble eDemocracy, eParticipation and open government experts, academia, representatives of civil society and business from the EaP Partner Countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine) and EU Me…

TAIEX Workshop on cybersecurity professionals’ partnership and information sharing capabilities

On 28-29 October, a TAIEX Workshop on cybersecurity professionals’ partnership and information sharing capabilities takes place in the Moldovan capital Chisinau. The aim of the workshop is to consolidate the capacities of the General Police Inspectorate in order to prevent and combat cyber…

Expert Mission on Cybercrime Investigation

On 4-6 November 2019, an EU expert mission on cybercrime investigation will take place in Yerevan, Armenia. The mission will provide an overview of the different approaches to cybercrime investigation and forensic capacities, including technical measures and new methods in accordance…

TAIEX Workshop on regulatory obligations and disputes settlement in service-specific telecom markets

On 22-23 October, experts from several EU countries will visit Ukraine to participate in a workshop with the National Commission for the State Regulation of Communications and Informatization (NCCIR) on regulatory obligations and dispute settlement in service-specific telecom markets….

Skills are top priority for digital transformation in Belarus

Aspects of Belarus’ development in the digital environment were discussed during a report to Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko on 14 October. The meeting was attended by high-ranking government officials, state administration bodies, leading universities, and the IT sector. Proposals aimed at p…

Key digital issues in focus at World Congress in Information Technology in Yerevan

On October 7-9 Yerevan hosted the World Congress in Information Technology (WCIT), the signature event of the World Information Technology & Services Alliance (WITSA), a consortium of ICT associations from 83 countries.  The WCIT was based on four main pillars: speeches,…

StrategEast State and IT Eurasian Forum

The inaugural StrategEast State and IT Eurasian Forum to take place on 4-5 November 2019 in Kyiv, Ukraine. The event will become a unique platform for dialogue between the governments of the countries of the Eurasian region and the leaders of the global IT industry. The StrategEast State and IT Eura…

ICT Innovation networking event

The EU4Digital Facility will host the 1st ICT Innovation networking event for EaP startups and scaleups, business associations, ICT infrastructure organisations and policy-makers related to blockchain, at Convergence – The Global Blockchain Congress 2019 on 11-13 November in Malaga, Spain….

Ukraine launches pilot project to digitize customs clearance procedure

Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers has approved a decision creating a number of territorial units of the State Customs Service and introducing a pilot project to digitize the process of submission of orders for carrying out customs inspections of goods and transport.  From now on, the procedure will be…

Digital opportunities for business and citizens : EU4Digital launch in Chisinau

EU support on digital harmonisation will deliver improved and cheaper online services for citizens and business, attract investments and boost trade and jobs, an event to present the new EU4Digital Facility heard in Chisinau on 2 October. The EU4Digital Facility, funded by the European Union to…

Connecting with culture at the Eastern Partnership E-infrastructures Conference

Yerevan hosted a cultural-technological ‘first’ in Armenia as choirs in Italy and Armenia performed together live thanks to data transfer technology introduced in Armenia by the EU-funded Eastern Partnership Connect (EaPConnect) project. The performance took place at EaPEC 2019, the 4th Eastern…

Memorandum signed to support broadband development in Ukraine

Ukraine’s Better Regulation Delivery Office (BRDO) has signed a memorandum on cooperation between the Ministry of Digital Transformation, the relevant committee of the Verkhovna Rada, the National Commission for the State Regulation of Communications and Informatization (NCCIR),…

Belarus becomes first country to make IPv6 mandatory for ISPs

Belarus has become the first country in the world to legally mandate support for IPv6 – the latest version of the Internet Protocol, the glue that keeps the whole internet together. Starting January 1, 2020, all Belarusian internet service providers will have to support the IPv6 protocol on their ne…

EU4Digital Steering Committee: focus on key priorities in digital support to Eastern Partners

The EU4Digital Facility held its first Steering Committee in Brussels on 17 September 2019, reviewing progress in the first six months of the project’s implementation, as well as upcoming priorities under the EU4Digital Initiative. The purpose of the meeting was to provide key stakeholders with an o…

Workshop highlights lack of regional cooperation on cyber security in energy sector

A workshop on cyber security in the energy sector took place in Vienna on 17 September 2019, organised by the Energy Community Secretariat. The workshop, which brought together more than 40 participants from the ministries, regulatory bodies and operators of critical electricity and gas infrast…

Ukraine adopts Regulation on the Ministry of Digital Transformation

Ukraine’s Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has approved a Resolution on the activities of the Ministry of Digital Transformation, which also regulates its powers and spheres of responsibility. The relevant decision was made at a meeting of the Government on Wednesday, 18 September. The newly establis…

Releasing the power of AI in Belarusian biomedical imaging

Dr Vassili Kovalev, at the United Institute of Informatics Problems of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, knows all about the importance of collaboration. As head of the Department of Biomedical Image Analysis, he and his team found that only by looking outwards could they overcome an obst…

EU4Digital team visits Montenegro to learn about customs data exchange system in Western Balkans

A team of EU4Digital eCustoms experts, together with customs officials from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Moldova, travelled to Podgorica in July for a fact-finding visit to the Montenegrin Customs Administration to learn about the benefits of the SEED electronic data exchange system and see how…

eTrade Network 7th Workshop

The 7th eTrade Workshop will take place on 10-11 October 2019 in Helsinki, with the aim of presenting and discussing with the Network Working Groups the common vision and scope of the pilots and preparatory actions developed by the expert team of the EU4Digital Project for the respective eTrade, eCu…

World Congress in Information Technology: WCIT 2019 in Yerevan

The World Congress in Information Technology (WCIT) is to be held in Armenia from 6-9 October, including sessions on topics ranging from artificial intelligence and virtual reality, to smart cities and cyber security, climate change, and more. The event will be an opportunity to attract in…

Security Espresso Moldova conference

The Information Technology and Cyber ​​Security Servicein partnership with the Technical University of Moldova is organising the first edition of the Security Espresso Moldova conference, a one-day security and hacking event on information security control.The event takes place i…

Supporting the digital economy and society: spotlight on EU4Digital in Minsk

Key Belarusian stakeholders came together in Minsk on 5 September 2019 to hear about the work of EU4Digital in Belarus, in a launch event highlighting the impact of the EU-funded initiative on citizens and businesses. The aim of the event – organised with the support of the Delegation of the Europea…

EU support for telecommunications infrastructure at Belarus-Lithuania border

An EU-funded project for the development of telecommunications infrastructure at the Belarus-Lithuania border (BOMBEL-4), was officially launched in Minsk on 6 September.  The €3.7 million project is a follow-up to the BOMBEL-3 project (2009-2011), which enabled the Belarus Border Service to cr…

Supporting Excellence in National Research and Education: conference in Moldova

On 3 October, the Republic of Moldova will host a conference on research and education. Entitled ‘RENAM E-infrastructure – Supporting Excellence in National Research and Education’. The event is dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the Research and Educational Networking Association of Moldova (RENA…

Eastern Partnership E-Infrastructure Conference

Registration is now open for the 2019 Eastern Partnership E-infrastructures Conference, which will take place in the Armenian capital of Yerevan on 25–26 September. The conference’s theme this year will be “Connecting with Culture”. Policy makers, research managers and experts on networking, cultura…

Digital networks for the environment: EaP Connect supporting Moldovan science

Moldova regularly faces natural hazards in the form of droughts, floods and pollution. But funding for mitigation efforts is only received if and when these hazards occur. One Moldovan scientist is using the support of RENAM – the Research and Educational Networking Association of Moldova – and the…

Other Projects

Useful links

European Commission Digital Single Market  European Commission Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CONNECT) Telecom rules European Commission Improving connectivity and access EaPeReg (Eastern Partnership Electronic Communications Regulators Network) EU Regula…

Officials discuss elimination of roaming charges between Moldova and Romania

The Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of the Republic of Moldova, Nicu Popescu on 20 August held a video conference with Romanian government officials to discuss the elimination of roaming charges with Romania. “We have discussed with the representatives of the Government of Bucha…

EU project launched to assess telecoms legislation in Ukraine

An EU-funded project on telecommunication services was launched in Ukraine on 15 August 2019 aimed at assessing the compliance of telecoms legislation with EU laws. The project, ‘On-Site assessment of the EU–Ukraine Association Agreement commitments on telecommunications services’, will take stock o…

The EU4Digital Initiative

The harmonisation of digital markets is one of the EU’s key policy deliverables for providing tangible results to citizens in the Eastern Partnership. EU support in this area is channelled through the EU4Digital initiative, which brings together priority actions and programmes in the field. EU4Digit…

EU4Digital Facility

The EU4Digital Facility aims to extend the benefits of the European Union’s Digital Single Market to the Eastern Partner states, supporting them in reducing roaming tariffs, developing high-speed broadband to boost economies and expand e-services, harmonising digital frameworks across society in are…

Policy areas

In the framework of the EU4Digital Initiative, the European Union supports the digital economy and society in the Eastern Partner countries, fostering the harmonisation of digital markets in the region, in order to deliver integrated online services for citizens, public administrations and businesse…

Eastern Partnership

The Eastern Partnership (EaP) is a joint policy initiative which aims to deepen and strengthen relations between the European Union (EU), its Member States and its six Eastern neighbours: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova​ and Ukraine. In this framework, guiding the EU’s…

EU Digital Single Market

At a time when the internet and digital technologies are transforming our world, the EU Digital Single Market (DSM) is one of the European Commission’s 10 political priorities, aiming to provide the best possible access to the online world for individuals and businesses. Making the European Union’s…

EU4Digital Broadband Strategies in the EaP region

The project, implemented by the World Bank (WB), supports the Eastern Partner countries in their development and early implementation of national broadband strategies, in line with relevant EU best practices and strategies, through the provision of technical assistance and capacity building support….

EU4Digital: Improving Cyber Resilience in the Eastern Partnership Countries

The programme will contribute to improving the cyber-resilience and criminal justice response of EaP Partner countries and will focus on two key building blocks. First, the development of technical and cooperation mechanisms that increase cybersecurity and preparedness against cyber-attacks, and sec…

Ukrainian operators reach agreement on 900MHz redistribution

Ukraine’s National Commission for State Regulation of Communications & Informatization has reported on its website that the country’s GSM 900MHz operators – Kyivstar, VF Ukraine (Vodafone Ukraine) and Lifecell – have reached a “basic agreement on the redistribution of radio frequency resources”…

EaP Connect

The EaP Connect programme (2015-2020 – €13 million) supports connections between researchers and students from the Eastern Partnership and their European counterparts via a high-capacity broadband Internet network.  The project aims to: establish and operate a high-capacity broadband internet networ…

EU4Armenia: e-Gov Actions

The three-year project EU4Armenia: e-Gov Actions (2017-2020 – €5.65 million) aims to establish a governmental interoperability platform, enabling a simplified and standardised secure connectivity between all organisations of the public administration of Armenia, and to introduce a One-Stop-Shop solu…

Support to e-agriculture in Azerbaijan

The three-year project (2017-2020 – €1.2 million) seeks to enable fair and transparent distribution of agricultural subsidies, provide reliable data for use in policy making and the assessment of policy impacts, and ultimately help to improve the quality of life in rural areas.

Integrated Border Management on the Belarus-Ukraine Frontier

The project for the ‘Introduction of an automated intelligent video-control system at the Novaya Huta-Novi Yarilovychi road border crossing point on the Belarus-Ukraine frontier’ (2017-2019 – €0.8 million) aims to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the work of customs services working at t…

Strengthening the capacity of the Belarusian National Cadastral Agency

This EU-funded Twinning project for ‘Strengthening the capacity for geospatial data management and interoperability of the National Cadastral Agency’ (2019-2021- €1.2 million) aims to increase capacity for sharing spatial data, to enhance the e-services and IT capacity of the NCA, and strengthen cap…

Supporting the Georgian National Communications Commission

The purpose of this EU Twinning project ‘Supporting the Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC) in development of its electronic communications regulatory framework and operational capacities in line with EU regulatory framework’ (2017-2019 – €1.7 million) was to assist Georgia in the dev…

Support to the modernisation of the Customs Service of Moldova

The project for ‘Support to the modernisation of the Customs Service of Moldova in line with Association Agreement (AA) requirements’ (2017-2019 – €1 million) assists in the preparation for implementing the Single Window concept on goods imported into, exported from and in transit through Moldova, a…

EU4MOLDOVA: start-up city Cahul

The €7 million project (2020-2023) will support inclusive economic development by increasing the potential of the digital economy and enhancing regional competitiveness and its business and investment environment through: support to the creation of a Regional Innovation and Technology Centre; suppor…

Assessment of Ukraine’s e-governance policy framework

This two-year project for ‘Assessment of Ukraine’s e-governance policy framework in the light of the Public Administration Reform Strategy and cybersecurity challenges’ (2017-2019 – €300,000) aims to reinforce EU support to Ukraine’s policy framework and capacity development for e-governance. The ma…

Strengthening Ukraine’s National Commission for the State Regulation of Communications and Informatization

This EU-funded Twinning project for ‘Strengthening the Regulatory Capacity of the National Commission for the State Regulation of Communications and Informatization in the Areas of Market Access and Quality of Service Monitoring System’ (2019-2021 – €1.3 million) aims to improve performance in the a…

EGOV4Ukraine

EGOV4Ukraine is the eGovernance window (€5.8 million) of the decentralisation project U-lead with Europe (2016-2020), offering comprehensive and efficient e-governance solutions to support decentralised public service delivery in local governments.

7th Meeting of Roaming Expert Working Group (REWG)

The 7th meeting of the Roaming Expert Working Group (REWG) of the EaPeReg Network (Eastern Partnership Electronic Communications Regulators Network) will be held on 15-16 October 2019 in Prague, Czech Republic. The event will be organised by the Czech Telecommunication Office (CTU) as the host party…

8th meeting of the Independent Regulators and Broadband Expert Working Group (IRB EWG)

The 8th meeting of the Independent Regulators and Broadband Expert Working Group (IRB EWG) of the EaPeReg Network (Eastern Partnership Electronic Communications Regulators Network) will be held on 3-4 October 2019 in Heraklion, Greece. The event will be organised the IRB EWG and funded by the Europe…

9th Meeting of Spectrum Expert Working Group (SEWG)

The 9th Meeting of the Spectrum Expert Working Group (SEWG) of the EaPeReg  Network (Eastern Partnership Electronic Communications Regulators Network) will be held on 8-10 October 2019 in Chisinau, Moldova. The event will be organised by the National Regulatory Agency for Electronic Communicati…

Competence Framework methodology: activity kick-off event and workshop

The kick-off event for the EU4Digital activity to ‘Define a common competence framework for SMEs and microbusinesses in the EaP region, based on similar EU efforts’ (Activity 6.2.) was held in Riga, Latvia on 1-2 October, together with the accompanying competence framework methodology workshop. The…

Telecom Rules

In support of these goals, the EU4Digital Facility will: Develop and implement a common approach to roaming pricing in the EaP region Strengthen the organisational and financial independence of National Regulatory Authorities  (NRA) for electronic communications Support a coordinated approach for fr…

Trust and Security

EU4Digital supports the development of trust services in the digital economy, and cyber-security for improved resilience of critical infrastructure, as essential building blocks for interoperable cross-border eServices in the Eastern Partnership region.

eTrade

In support of these goals, the EU4Digital Facility will: Pilot cross-border eTrade components among EaP partner countries and with EU member states Promote networking between eTrade stakeholders in the region Pilot cross-border eCommerce enablers among EaP partner countries and with the EU Pilot mec…

ICT innovation

In support of these goals, the EU4Digital Facility will: Support the establishment of a common legislative framework on ICT innovation in the EaP Develop a common training package aimed at policy makers, ICT organisations and businesses Promote networking of innovation ecosystem players Extend Start…

eHealth

In support of these goals, the EU4Digital Facility will: Develop eHealth harmonisation guidelines and standards for the EaP region Establish a cross-border eHealth platform in the EaP region Involve the region in relevant EU projects, programmes and initiatives The Facility supports the actions of t…

eSkills

In support of these goals, the EU4Digital Facility will: Define a methodology for measuring and forecasting national digital skills gaps Define a common competence framework for SMEs and microbusinesses Create national coalitions for skills and jobs Carry out training seminars and workshops  Impleme…

Armenia

EU4Digital builds on a long history of EU cooperation with Armenia in the field of e-government and digitisation, further strengthening EU-Armenia cooperation, with a focus on Telecom Rules, Trust and Security, e-Trade, ICT Innovation, e-Health, and e-Skills. The outcomes of the initiative will resu…

Azerbaijan

EU4Digital will improve the work of government institutions, boost economic diversification by promoting growth and jobs, and improve the life of Azerbaijani citizens. The harmonisation of digital markets will result in improved online services at better prices and with greater choice for all people…

Belarus

The harmonisation of digital markets in Belarus will result in increased competition, meaning improved online services at better prices and with greater choice. It will attract investments and boost trade and employment, contributing to the social and economic development of the country. Through the…

Georgia

The Initiative aims to extend the benefits of the EU’s Digital Single Market to Georgia and other Eastern Partnership countries, channelling EU support to develop the potential of the digital economy and society, in order to bring economic growth, generate more jobs, improve people’s lives and help…

Republic of Moldova

The harmonisation of digital markets in Moldova will result in increased competition, meaning improved online services at better prices and with greater choice. It will attract investments and boost trade and employment, contributing to the social and economic development of the country. Through the…

Ukraine

The harmonisation of digital markets in Ukraine will result in increased competition, meaning improved online services at better prices and with greater choice. It will attract investments and boost trade and employment, contributing to the social and economic development of the country. Among the t…

Success Stories

Events

News

‘One click and no bribes’: Zelensky signs decree on e-services

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky on 30 July signed a decree ‘On some measures to improve the access of individuals and legal entities to electronic services’, aimed at streamlining and ensuring the transparency of state registries, developing modern e-identification tools, and implementation…

Strengthening cyber-security expertise in Georgia

Security of digital information is a major societal challenge. Georgia is keeping up with the global trend of developing cyber-security and interest in this field is noticeably increasing. GRENA, the Georgian Research and Educational Networking Association, is working with CERT.GOV.GE – the Georgian…

Home

Digital solutions for addressing community needs nominated for EU award at Hackathon in Georgia

Digital solutions for cleaner environment, better health and accessibility for all were the three ideas nominated for the EU Digitalisation for Civil Society Award by participants and mentors at the 2019 EaP Civil Society Hackathon, which took place on 14-16 Junein the Georgian capita…

Digital Ukraine: ambitious plan presented by the president’s digital advisor

The manager of Volodymyr Zelensky’s digital campaign during the Presidential elections and now adviser to the president, Mikhail Fedorov and his team have proposed an ambitious plan for the development of the country’s digital economy. Fedorov presented an overview of the plan in a meeting…

Supporting the development of Georgian telecoms regulation: EU Twinning project wraps up activities

On 5 July 2019, the closing conference of the EU-funded Twinning project on ‘Supporting the Georgian National Communication Commission (GNCC) in developing of its electronic communications regulatory framework and operational capacities in line with EU regulatory framework’ was held in Tbi…

Privacy Policy

Who we are ‘EU4Digital: supporting digital economy and society in the Eastern Partnership’ is a programme funded by the European Union to promote key areas of the digital economy and society, in line with EU norms and practices. The programme is implemented by a consortium led by EY Advisory Service…

900 MHz band use would expand 4G coverage throughout Ukraine within year and a half

The use of low-frequency ranges (800-900 MHz) would allow Ukraine to increase the availability of 3G and 4G to 95% of the population within a year and a half and would facilitate the further introduction of 5G, according to an analysis of Frequency Spectrum Management conducted by the Bett…

Trust and Security Network workshop focuses on challenges and common priorities

The EU4Digital facility organised an EU4Digital Trust and Security Network workshop on 12-13 June In Chisinau, Moldova.  The main goal of the workshop was to get an update on countries’ priorities and challenges in the Trust & Security domain, and to identify common priorities regardin…

EU helps Shirak region become IT centre of Armenia

Information technologies (IT) are growing rapidly in Armenia. The country’s government announced IT as one of their priorities and recently decided to establish a Ministry of High Technologies. The Armenian government has also adopted laws according to which newly created IT startups will be granted…

Armenia: over 10 e-governance platforms introduced with EU support

On 10 June, the EU Delegation to Armenia and the country’s government presented new electronic instruments to promote transparency and openness of public governance in the country at an event in Yerevan. The event was held in the framework of the public awareness campaign for a new one-window s…

Georgian ICT companies meet Baltic counterparts at Forum in Tbilisi

A visit by leading Estonian and Latvian ICT companies to Georgia provided local ICT industry players with an opportunity to connect and explore possibilities for potential partnerships.  The delegation from the two Baltic states participated in an International ICT B2B Exchange event on 5 June,…

ICT Innovation in focus at network workshop in Baku

On 29-30 May, the EU4Digital Facility organised a workshop of the EU4Digital ICT Innovation Network in Baku, Azerbaijan to discuss the status of ICT innovation in the six partner countries, and priorities moving forward.  The main goal of the event was to present the specific work to…

Supporting the digital economy and society: EU4Digital programme launch in Baku

EU4Digital, a new programme funded by the European Union to support the digital economy and society, held its launch event in Baku on 31 May 2019, with the support of the EU Delegation to Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of Azerbaijan. The aim of the eve…

EU launches new EU4Digital programme in Ukraine targeting better online services

On 22 May, 2019, the European Union launched a new programme ‘EU4Digital: supporting digital economy and society in the Eastern Partnership’ in Ukraine. EU4Digital aims to extend the benefits of the European Union’s Digital Single Market to Ukraine and the other Eastern Partner states, in order to b…

Azerbaijan develops strategy for cyber security

Azerbaijan has developed a strategy on cyber security, which will cover the years 2019-2022, the Head of the Department of Innovative Development of Information Society and Electronic Governance told an event in Baku on 17 May, the Trend news agency reported. Rashad Azizov was speaking to the “FINTE…

Supporting the digital economy and society: presenting EU4Digital in Yerevan

EU4Digital, a new initiative funded by the European Union to support the digital economy and society, held an event to present the programme in Yerevan on 15 May 2019, with the support of the Delegation of European Union to Armenia and the Ministry of Transport, Communication and Information Technol…

EU launches new project supporting digital economy and society in Georgia

On 13 May, the European Union held a launch event in Georgia for EU4Digital, a new regional programme supporting the digital economy and society in Georgia and the other countries of the Eastern Partnership. The project is funded by the EU and will work in Georgia with the Ministry of Economy and Su…

Training young people for a digital future in Armenia’s regions

Sustainable regional development in Armenia depends on overcomingthe gap between the capital Yerevan and the marzes (regions) by providing young people with the skills they need to fuel local economic growth. The Digital Pomegranate, an IT company based in Gyumri, the country’s second largest c…

Belarus President approves information security concept

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko has signed the country’s Security Council’s resolution ‘On the concept of information security of the Republic of Belarus’. The concept takes into account proposals made during a Security Council meeting to consider the draft concept on 12 March.  In parti…

EU Commissioner visits Armenia to launch EU4Digital initiative

On 7 March the official launch of the EU-funded EU4Digital regional initiative took place in Yerevan in the presence of the Vice-president of the European Commission and Commissioner for the Digital Single Market, Andrus Ansip, the EU Ambassador, Piotr Świtalski, and the Armenian Minister of Tr…

Cybercrime – A Georgian prosecutor on challenges and EU support

Cyber blackmail, internet scams, dissemination of private videos, hacking of private bank accounts and theft – these are just some of the cases on which Mariam Gogoreliani, supervising prosecutor of the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia, has been working since 2015. Fighting cybercrime within a single…

Eastern Partnership: promoting stronger digital economies for the EU’s six Eastern Partners

On 28 February, the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, together with the European Commission, hosted the 3rd Eastern Partnership Ministerial Meeting on the Digital Economy in Bucharest.  The event brought together EU ministers responsible for the digital economy and their…

Karyna Litvinova: promoting the idea of electronic democracy for every community in Ukraine

Karyna Litvinova is a fellow of the EU-funded Eastern Partnership Civil Society Fellowship Programme. She is a member of the E-Democracy Support Group the ‘Reanimation Package of Reforms’ and a co-author of an online course on digital social activism. Karyna is also the editor-in-chief of the digita…

Georgia introduces mandatory electronic signatures for online public transactions

From 1 January, 2019, it is mandatory for companies conducting business with administrative bodies of Georgia using electronic communication to sign documents using an eligible electronic signature or electronic stamp. Using a qualified electronic stamp and a qualified electronic…