Stability Pact: Press Releases

29 October 2002, Brussels (back to news list)

Regional Action Plan to Reduce Digital Divide between SEE and Rest of Europe

Making best use of modern telecommunications, creating a legal framework to allow for unhindered and fairly regulated expansion of telecommunications and turning Southeastern European countries into information societies is the ambitious goal. Ministers of seven countries signed the “Electronic Southeastern Europe Agenda for the Development of Information Society” in Belgrade today. The implementation to which Albania, BiH, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova and Yugoslavia committed themselves today will bring them on the same level with EU and accession countries in what is a strategic component of modern economic development. Closing this gap in the domains of legislative and policy framework will be supported by bilateral donors and international organizations.

On behalf of the Stability Pact, Deputy Special Co-ordinator John Riddle commented the challenge ahead: "A fundamental question is how to build an open, inclusive, and democratic information society in which the broadest possible group of citizens can be integrated and which contributes to a sense of economic well being, European unity and personal security. Without a clear public policy, new technologies can become a source of exclusion rather than a tool of progress."

Ministers agreed to work out national action plans until March 2003. These will give a country-by-country roadmap to adopting and implementing the legal environment for Information society in accordance with the Acquis Communautaire of the European Union and establish regional co-operation as well. National implementation will address such issues as providers, operators, manufacturers and research institutions.

The European Union launched eEurope in Lisbon in May 2000. It was extended and labelled eEurope+ to also include candidate countries in Goteburg in June 2001. The signing of the agenda today marks an important step to engage the countries of SEE in a similar process. In this respect Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey, as SEE countries already participating in eEurope+, and Greece, as the only EU member in SEE, have been invited to share their experiences and best practices gained, with the signatory countries.

Against this background, the commitments taken by the signatory countries were complemented with conference participants’ support, including the EU Commission, UNDP, INA (Southeast European Telecommunications Research Institute – Greece) and bilateral donors. The Conference in Belgrade has been organized in the Stability Pact framework as part of the FR Yugoslavia’s chairing of the SEECP.

Text to be signed is attached.

For further information on Belgrade Conference, 28-29 October 2002: http://www.eSEEuropeConference.org

___________________

PR2002/056

Stability Pact – eSEEurope Initiative

eSEEurope Agenda for the Development of the Information Society

a cooperative effort to implement the Information Society
in South Eastern Europe

3^rd Draft agreed to in Budva, Montenegro on 27.september 2002.

PREAMBLE

In accordance with the Statement of Intent adopted in Ljubljana on June 4th, 2002, we, the members of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro), Macedonia, and Moldova, have developed this “eSEEurope Agenda for the Development of the Information Society”

Confirming the responsibility of the countries of the region for the development of a proper environment for the Information Society for all and the joint will for harmonized regional cooperative activities;

Recognizing the specific role of governments and based on the positive experiences of the eEurope and eEurope+ processes towards Information Society, we are determined to take concrete actions in the fields of:

§ Organization through establishment of an institutional framework for Information and Communication Technology-based society

§ Legislation through introduction of new legislative frameworks for Information and Communication Technology-based society

§ Regulation through liberalization, privatisation, policy and strategy related to electronic communications infrastructure and associated services

§ Promotion through encouragement of civil society, non-governmental organizations, and joint e-Governance, e-Learning, and other regional-scale activities;

Acknowledging that building of the Information Society:

§ Is fundamental to the rapid development of the region, the reduction of the development gap between the region and the European Union, as well as between the countries within the region and with the rest of the world;

§ Is the only vehicle for seamless integration into the European Union, in which a movement from the industrial to the information society is already in the advanced stages;

§ Provides a foundation for confidence building and closer cooperation in the region;

We are firmly resolved to pursue the above-mentioned objectives and will look to the eSEEurope Working Group to ensure and monitor, within its responsibilities, their fulfilment, as a major step indispensable to a joint effort for building Information Society in the countries of the South Eastern European region.

COMMITMENTS TO CONCRETE ACTIONS

Recognizing the success of the processes launched in Lisbon on 23/24 May 2000 and the positive experiences of the eEurope and eEurope+ processes towards Information Society, each signatory country hereby associates itself with the eEurope process and will take concrete actions within the constraints of their specific environment in the fields of:

1. Adoption of policy and strategy for the Information Society;

2. Adoption and implementation of Legal Infrastructure for Information Society accordingly to Acquis Communautaire settled within European Union countries;

3. Establishment of regional cooperation and national implementation mechanisms;

4. Promotion of Information Society for development.

Each of the preceding steps consider concrete actions such as:

1. Adoption of policy and strategy for the development of the Information Society

a. Adopt regionally coordinated guidelines for the creation of the National Information Society Policies (NISP), which will serve as the basis for all legislative and other regulatory action.

To be developed within the framework of the eSEEurope Working Group and adopted by governments by March 31st 2003.

b. Adopt National Information Society Strategy and Action Plan, based on the eSEE Agenda and National Information Society Policies, with clear goals, responsibilities and timelines for implementation.

To be adopted by October 30th 2003.

2. Adoption and implementation of Legal Infrastructure for Information Society

a. Begin adoption and implementation of legislation on electronic communications infrastructure and associated services in accordance with the framework of the relevant European Union Directives.

To be started by November 1st, 2003

b. Adopt ongoing legislation work on electronic commerce, electronic contracts and electronic signatures in accordance with the framework of the relevant European Union Directives.

To be adopted by November 1st, 2003

Intensify implementation and enforce legislation in the countries where legislation has been adopted.

c. Sign, ratify and implement Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime.

To be signed by March 1st, 2003

d. Adopt and implement Intellectual Property Rights legislation for Copyright, Databases, Patents, Software and Semiconductors in accordance with the framework of the relevant European Union Directives.

To be adopted by the end of 2004

e. Adopt and implement ongoing legislation for the personal data protection including protection of privacy on the Internet in accordance with the framework of the relevant European Union Directives.

To be adopted by the end of 2004

3. Establishment of regional cooperation and national implementation mechanisms

Society policies, strategies and regulation, including those pertaining to e-Governance based public administration practices

a. Establish a Cabinet-Level State Body for Information Society (with unified Terms of Reference - ToR) that will be responsible for the implementation of national Information and to coordinate introduction of Information Society curriculum, and standards between the ministries and relevant regional and international participants.

ToR be developed within the framework of the eSEEurope Working Group alongside guidelines for NISP and adopted by March 31st, 2003.

Cabinet-Level State Body to be established by October 30th, 2003

b. Governments shall strengthen and empower the eSEE Working Group by providing budgetary funding for its appointed representatives and local costs of the functioning onward.

c. Encourage the establishment of the National ICT of the eSEE Working Group.

To be included from the 2003 budget Forums. Those will be non-governmental, non-for-profit organizations that will gather all the stakeholders (government, user permanent vehicle for the exchange of information, experience, best practices, discussion of all Information Society issues in the context of NISP; a structured mechanism for providing advice to the State Bodies of Information Society for policy, strategy and groups, media editors, providers, operators, manufacturers, academia, religious and research organizations, etc.) as a regulatory issues; and to exchange experience with other National Forums.

To be started by December 1st, 2002

d. Encourage creation of regional automated information systems covering goods traffic, free movement of citizens, measures against contraband and terrorism, based on the integration of national identification population registers and the creation of a network of national centres of exchange of information.

To be started by December 1st, 2002

e. Establish mechanisms for regional “at cost” interconnection of electronic communications networks.

To be started by March 1st, 2003

4. Promotion of Information Society for development (Continuous tasks):

a. Provide public information access infrastructure for free access to public information;

b. Exchange of information in liberalization, regulatory framework, privatisation of telecom, information services sectors, electronic communications networks and next generation networks through conferences and seminars;

c. Establish regional telecommunications Service Level Agreement standards and universal service obligations and goals to secure equal opportunity for development;

d. Establish regional skills-based electronic labour exchange to pro;

e. Establish regional backbone for connecting National Academic and mote regional distance employment of knowledge workers through Internet and other electronic communication mechanisms Research Networks and establish educational electronic information exchange to promote greater coordination in curriculum

f. Negotiate lowest tariffs in regional cross-countries sales of ICT products, examination and grading standards and joint project work among teachers and students in the region, and services;

g. Improve regulation on firm creation, operation and taxation and make legislative proposals to promote domestic and direct foreign investment in the ICT sector.

IMPLEMENTATION

In order to implement this comprehensive Agenda:

§ Countries of the region commit themselves to start an implementation of this eSEEurope Agenda for the Development of the Information Society activities of the eSEE Working Group shall be performed by the Secretariat under the direction of the eSEEurope Initiative Chairperson immediately.

§ Operational.

§ eSEE Working Group shall meet quarterly to review individual progress in relation to the countries commitments under this Agenda.

§ eSEE Working Group shall organize an annual meeting at ministerial level for review and assessment of the progress of the required actions and to agree on required steps for on-going implementation of the present eSEE Agenda.

By signing this documents we agree to be monitored by and to facilitate the task of the eSEE Working Group and participate actively in its activities.

Spartak Poci
Minister of Transport and Telecommunications
Albania

Svetozar Mihajlovic
Minister of Civil Affairs and Communications, Sarajevo,
Bosnia and Herzegovina

Robert Mangar
Deputy Minister, Ministry of Science and Technology
Croatia

Bozidar Milovic
Minister for Transport and Telecommunications
FR Yugoslavia

Ljupco Balkoski
Minister of Transport and Communications
Macedonia

Anatoly Kuptzov
Minister of Transport and Telecommunications
Moldova

Darko Uskokovic
Minister of Telecommunications
Montenegro

Dragan Domazet
Minister of Science, Technology and Development
Serbia