The Joint Committee responsible for the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding in the field of digital transformation between Moldova and Romania was established today, 16 June 2022, during the establishing meeting, in the context of the visit of the Minister of Research, Innovation, and Digitization of Romania, Sebastian Ioan BURDUJA to Chisinau upon the invitation of the Deputy Prime Minister for Digitalization of the Republic of Moldova, Iurie TURCANU.

The two officials had a bilateral meeting, signed the Statement on Establishing the Joint Committee and held a joint press conference, during which they expressed their commitment to collaboration and mutual support for boosting bilateral cooperation, exchange of experience, mobilization of technical, financial, and human resources for the development of the common digital space between Moldova and Romania. 

”By creating the Joint Intergovernmental Committee on Digital Transformation, we are sending a clear message to citizens and authorities at national, regional and international level, as well as to the business and ICT community on the left and the right of Prut, that this common digital space between Chisinau and Bucharest will propel us to a new administrative and economic level” said Iurie TURCANU.

For his part, Romania’s Minister of Research, Innovation and Digitization said that digital transformation means connecting people to opportunities, connecting citizens to each other, but also to the services the state offers, to the opportunities that the private sector provides. “In this respect, Moldova is many steps ahead of many countries in the European Union, including Romania. What you have done and continue doing, Mr. Iurie Turcanu, in the Republic of Moldova, allowing people, citizens to get public services, to consider them effective, means a chance for development of Moldova and we thank you for allowing us to follow your example of best practices, to be inspired by what you have done and are doing during this time”, said Sebastian Ioan BURDUJA.

Aware of the common interest and the potential of each side, the Joint Committee, composed of representatives of the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalisation, the Romanian Digitalisation Authority and the National Cyber Security Directorate of Romania, on the one hand, and representatives of the line government institutions of Moldova, such as the E-Governance Agency and the Information Technology and Cyber Security Service, on the other hand, will be tasked with implementing the Memorandum of Understanding in the field of digital transformation, a document signed at the joint meeting of the Governments of Moldova and Romania on 11 February 2022.

The Committee will focus on the implementation of joint projects and initiatives, the development of investments in the information technology sector, the development of innovative digital solutions for the benefit of citizens on both sides of the Prut. Among the areas of cooperation that need to be mentioned are:

-           Developing electronic public services at all levels of government;

-           Data exchange and interoperability of IT systems between the two countries;

-           Automation of administrative processes;

-           Mutual recognition of electronic signatures;

-           Cyber security;

-           Facilitating investment and entrepreneurship, business development;

-           Implementation of platforms and infrastructures developed here and in Romania;

-          Joint participation in EU programmes and initiatives;

-          Transfer of experience and best practices, training of specialists and development of sector policies;

-           Development of the information society, etc.

These areas of cooperation, translated into concrete objectives and actions, are intended to help accelerate the implementation of the common digital transformation agenda.

The chairmanship of the Committee is held by each party in rotation for 6 months, and the first Chairman of the Committee was appointed Mr Octavian Oprea, Deputy Chairman of the Romanian Digitisation Authority, and in half a year a chairman from the Moldovan Delegation will be elected.