The Parliament ratified the Agreement with the EU on Moldova’s accession to the Digital Europe program with a total budget of 7.6 billion euros until 2027.
The document was signed on February 19 and will allow Moldova to gain access to European grants for the implementation of projects in the field of digitalization. As reported by the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalization, “Digital Europe” is a new EU funding program focused on the implementation of digital technologies by enterprises, citizens and government administrations, the digitization of businesses, government institutions, etc. Through this programme, the EU aims to accelerate the digital transformation of the economy, industry and society. Moldova's accession to the Digital Europe programme, an EU initiative that offers numerous benefits for entrepreneurs, local authorities, the association sector and citizens, means that businesses, mayors, NGOs and the central government of Moldova will have access to European funding for digitalization with a shared budget at 7.6 billion euros for 2021-2027. In this way, Moldova will receive financial assistance and expertise to improve its digital infrastructure and promote innovation and digital inclusion in society. Through the Digital Europe program, Moldova will accelerate the process of digitization of enterprises and public administration. This will support start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises and the public sector in their efforts to increase competitiveness and improve business models through the use of advanced digital technologies. Support for the program is strengthened by reducing Moldova's annual financial contributions by 95% until its completion in 2027. Moldova will actively participate in future opportunities in the digital sphere, especially in the 4 areas with which it was associated: high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, advanced digital skills, adoption and optimal use of digital technologies and interoperability. The agreement on Moldova’s accession to the Digital Europe program will come into force retroactively, from January 1, 2024, after completion of all ratification procedures. “We are increasingly digitalizing the business environment and government administration. This way we will help small entrepreneurs and medium-sized companies to be more competitive and improve their business with the help of advanced digital technologies. Before we become EU citizens, we can become digital citizens of the European Union even faster,” said Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization Dumitru Alaiba. // 30.05.2024 — InfoMarket
