
We present the analytical report “Alignment of the policy of integration into the EU Digital Single Market and harmonization of digital markets of the EaP“, prepared by the Public Association “Center for Innovation Development” (WG2 UNP) in the framework of the initiative.
We continue to share the results of initiatives supported by the UNP in 2021 under the project “Support to the Ukrainian National Platform of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum (UNP EaP CSF) in 2021-2023”, administered by the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting funded by the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and the European Union.
The aim of the initiative is to assess the progress of integration into the EU Digital Single Market and harmonization of digital markets in the East, to intensify political dialogue with the participation of the public to update the priorities of digital development.
An assessment of the state of integration into the EU digital single market and harmonization of digital markets in the East was based on a review of current analytics, materials of international projects, regulations and consultations with the authorities.
An analytical report “Alignment of the policy of integration into the EU Digital Single Market and harmonization of digital markets in the East” has been prepared.
At this stage of Ukraine’s “digitalization” the main obstacle is the lack of a holistic approach to policy-making towards harmonization of digital markets with the EU and the Eastern Partnership region, and strategic documents / roadmaps / action plans for various areas of digital market harmonization. In order to move to practical and effective actions of digital harmonization with the EU, Ukraine should develop a pool of strategic documents, synchronized with each other and supported by clear implementation plans in the areas of digital skills, e-commerce, trust services and e-identification, e-health, digital innovation, development information society knowledge and data economy. Ukraine needs to find its own path of digital development, focusing on EU standards and goals. Significant progress has already been made on European integration, for example in the field of electronic communications or the deployment of a national broadband development plan in Ukraine, but there is a need to align digital policy on the digital growth component, including the full development of the data economy.

The information and analytical report of the initiative “Alignment of the policy of integration into the EU Digital Single Market and harmonization of EaP digital markets” was prepared by the author’s team as a retrospective analysis of the changes over the three years that have passed after the project “Strengthening public participation in the creation and implementation of the digital agenda of Ukraine and harmonization of digital markets with the EU and the EaP countries”, which was implemented by the NGO “Center for Innovation Development” under the auspices of the Ukrainian side of the EU-Ukraine Civil Society Platform and the Ukrainian National Platform of the Civil Society Forum Eastern Partnership with the assistance of the European Union and the International Foundation Vidrodzhennia within the framework of the grant component of the project “Civic Synergy”.
Authors:
Volodymyr Nochvai, Expert, Center for Innovation Development (WG2 UNP), Senior Research Fellow, Institute of Mathematical Machines and Systems, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Head of the Open Innovation Laboratory of Kyiv Academic University
Ivan Kulchytskyi, President of the NGO “Agency for European Innovation” (WG4 UNP), Head of the National Contact Point of the Horizon 2020 program in the field of ICT
Kyrylo Horokhovsky, Senior Lecturer fot the Faculty of Informatics of National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.
Information campaign
On December 1, 2021, the annual Assembly of the EaP CSF, with the participation of the initiators of the initiative, held Parallel country stakeholder sessions “Ukraine’s Integration into the EU’s Digital Single Market: Challenges and Opportunities”, which also presented some conclusions and recommendations of the initiative.
What should be the Ukrainian digital compass 2030 in the context of integration into the EU digital single market and digital transformation of Ukraine, the first steps the government and stakeholders need to discuss on December 15, 2021 during the online discussion “Ukraine’s digital development and integration into the EU digital single market”. organized by the Center for Innovation Development and the Agency of European Innovations as part of this initiative.

The purpose of the event was to discuss the recommendations of the initiative, as well as to intensify political dialogue with the participation of the public to update the priorities of digital development. The initiated dialogue should be continued in the format of public discussions of EU4Digital recommendations on the development of ICT innovations, which is especially relevant for the formation of a coordinated position of Ukraine at the ICT Innovation and Governance forum, which was scheduled for January 27, 2022.
During their speeches, the initiative experts provided their vision of assessing the progress of integration into the EU Digital Single Market and harmonization of digital markets in the EaP and recommendations for aligning Ukraine’s digital development policy and integration into the EU Digital Single Market:
- Ukraine’s place in shaping Europe’s digital future, ecosystem of digital innovations in Ukraine. (Nochvai V., expert of Innovation Development Center) The presentation is available at the link.
- Harmonization in the field of e-health (Horokhovskyi K., expert of NaUKMA)
- Digital skills – harmonization with the EU (Kulchytskyi I., President of the NGO AEI) Presentation is available at the link
- Recommendations of the initiative (Kulchytskyi I., President of the NGO AEI) The presentation is available at the link
Advocacy campaign
As a result of the implementation of the initiative, Recommendations were prepared
The authorities were consulted:
14.07.2021 Conversation with Yuliya Zaderiaka, E-Health State Enterprise. Subject: Road map for 2021
20.09.2021 Interview with Yuliya Hariacha, Head of the Expert Group on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of the Directorate for European Integration of the Ministry of Education and Science. Topic Strategy of Ukraine’s integration into the Single Digital Market of the European Union (“Road Map”)
The results of the initiative were discussed during an international discussion with the participation of:
Tanel Tang, Policy Officer – disinformation, media, stratcomm, conflicts, digital, SGUA. DG NEAR; Yuliya Garyacha, European integration of the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, Head of the Expert Group; Andrii Dresviannikov, Expert on Trust Services and e-commerce, UCEP. It was agreed during the discussion on the need to continue consultations between the Government and the EU on participation in the Digital Europe programs, and to use opportunities to participate in the implementation of the “Strategy for the Digital Future of Europe”.
The results of the initiative were used in the preparation of a speech at the public discussion of the UNP on December 17, 2021. “Results of the Eastern Partnership Summit: what is the” added value “for Ukraine?” – the vision of the authorities, the public and experts on the results of the 6th Eastern Partnership Summit (December 15, 2021), as well as the ambitions and political goals set out in the new political documents.
An agreement was reached with the Ministry of Digital Transformation and the Ministry of Economy on the need to discuss and implement practical tools and proposals for the development of ICT innovation in the EaP countries. In particular, it is planned to continue communications during the official launch of the platform of the Eastern Partnership ICT startup ecosystem on January 27, 2022.
The initiative was implemented within the framework of the project “Support to the activities of the UNP EaP CSF in 2021-2023”, funded by the European Union, the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Forum and implemented by the Institute for Economic Research and Policy Consulting.
