Press-Statement by Commissioner Gunther H. Oettinger on plans to launch a "Digital Community" with Ukraine
Today, Günther H. Oettinger,
European Commissioner for the Digital Economy and Society, and the Ukrainian
Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman spoke at a
high-level policy event in Kiev which explored the challenges and opportunities
that the European Union's Digital Single Market (DSM) represents for Ukraine.
On this occasion, Commissioner Oettinger said:
"I am delighted being here in Ukraine, to begin discussions on the
creation of the Digital Community, which could extend the benefits of the DSM
beyond EU borders. It is in the clear interest of the EU and Ukraine to
cooperate closely in the digital matters for the benefit of our economies and
our societies.
Prime Minister Groysman and I are inspired by
the success of the Energy Community which extends the EU's internal energy
market rules to countries in South-East Europe and beyond. We should develop a
similar common vision of a Digital Community between the EU and Ukraine, and
bring in other neighbouring countries.
Ukraine could share the benefits flowing from the DSM by approximating
its national legislation to relevant EU acquis, as
well as to EU principles and norms. This could apply to a variety of topics: eTrade, eCommerce, eCustoms, eGovernment, eHealth, Telecom, Rules, Digital Skills and promoting
innovation, to mention some possibilities. The EU-Ukraine Association Agreement
with its Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area, which is provisionally in
force, provides a good basis for deepening our digital cooperation.
Ukraine has already played a constructive role in deepening digital
cooperation with the EU and other neighbours, by
endorsing the declaration of the 1st Eastern Partnership Ministerial meeting on
the Digital Economy in June 2015. Today's high level policy discussion aims to
take our digital cooperation to the next level."
Commissioner Oettinger intends to organise a Ministerial level meeting with the six Eastern
Partnership countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of
Moldova and Ukraine) in early autumn in Brussels in order to continue the
discussion on the creation of the Digital Community.
Yesterday, Commissioner Oettinger also met Stepan Kubiv, Vice Prime Minister
and Minister of Economic Development and Trade, and Oleksandr
Danchenko, Chairman of the Ukrainian Parliament's ICT
Committee to discuss cooperation in the field of digital economy and society.
European Commission