Speech on" EU + Ukraine DigitalSingleMarket" at the Digital Conference (Kiew)
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am delighted being
here in Ukraine, together with Prime Minister Groysman,
to begin discussions on the creation of the Digital Community, which could
extend the benefits of the European Union's Digital Single Market (DSM) beyond
EU borders.
Today, we are
witnessing a deep transformation of our economy and society on a global scale.
Digital is impacting on new and traditional sectors everywhere. It is changing
the way we produce cars and chemicals, the way banks deliver services, how we
as citizens work and live.
I believe that in
Ukraine, the digital sector has great potential, stemming to a large extent
from your highly qualified professionals.
You had the opportunity
to hear from Prime Minister Groysman about the
ambitious reforms that Ukraine is currently undertaking in order to modernise its digital economy and society.
In the EU we are faced
with similar challenges. The Digital Single Market Strategy is the EU's
comprehensive response to this global digital transformation. It is one of our
top priorities to reduce fragmentation and remove regulatory and other kinds of
barriers, and make the Digital Single Market a reality in the coming years.
This will boost our economy and create hundreds of thousands of new jobs.
At the same time, we
want to keep our internal market open so that our start-ups and digital
businesses can grow internationally and attract investment. With Digital Single
Market we want to create a level-playing field for all players regardless of
size or country of origin.
Our Digital Single
Market Strategy is a focused and ambitious programme
which will deliver real, tangible change within 18 months from adoption. It
consists of 16 actions grouped under three pillars.
The first pillar is
about improving access to online goods and services across Europe: we want to
prevent unjustified geo-blocking and modernize our copyright framework. We also
need to adapt our consumer rules to the borderless nature of online trading.
The second pillar
addresses digital networks and innovative services: we need to overhaul our
telecoms regulations and address issues such as combating illegal online
content or strengthen cybersecurity. We must also
take a look at the increasingly central role that platforms have in the digital
economy.
The third pillar is
about maximizing the growth potential of the Digital Economy: we want a strong,
data-driven economy, taking advantage of emerging technologies and boosting
innovation. But we also want to ensure that European citizens have the
necessary skills to work with and benefit from the significant advantages that
ICT solutions bring in their day-to-day lives.
Over the second half
of last year we went through a large scale public consultation process,
generating lots of interest from a wide range of stakeholders.
The Commission has
already started to deliver on the Digital Single Market Strategy. On 9 December
2015, we presented a set of proposals including new rules on digital contracts,
a Regulation on cross-border portability of online content services and actions
to modernise copyright rules.
On 19 April this year,
we adopted a major package of initiatives for digitising
European industry, European Cloud Computing, ICT standards and e-Government. We
also presented our view on the Internet of Things (IoT)
and Quantum Technologies.
Our focus in May was
on e-Commerce and content as we set out proposals on geo-blocking, parcel
delivery, consumer protection and enforcement, as well as the revision of the
Audio Visual and Media Services Directive.
Later in the year, the
second part of copyright reform will be proposed, a review of the Satellite and
Cable Directive, a revision of our telecom framework and our Free Flow of Data
initiative.
We always treated the
Digital Single Market strategy as a package of measures, since the cumulative
effect of the proposals is significant. We have also seen how crucial it is to
involve stakeholders across the board when pursuing important digital reforms,
and to establish reliable statistics, for measuring progress and deciding on
next steps.
The 43 million
Ukrainian consumers are also stakeholders in the success of this initiative.
Let me give you an
example. In the EU we have the Electronic Identification and Trust Services,
the so called eIDAS Regulation. This legal framework
provides rules for the cross-border mutual recognition of the electronic
identification and trust services. It lays down the right foundations for
citizens, companies (in particular SMEs) and public administrations to safely
access to services and do transactions online and cross-border in just
"one click".
Indeed, eIDAS provides higher security and more convenience for any
online activity such as submitting tax declarations, enrolling in a foreign
university, remotely opening a bank account, setting up a business in another
Member State, authenticating for Internet payments, bidding to on-line calls
for tender, etc.
Ukraine could share
all these benefits, by approximating national legislation to the eIDAS Regulation, as well as to the EU principles related
to online privacy and personal data protection.
Sharing the benefits
of DSM with Ukraine could include a variety of topics. We could work together
on eTrade, eCommerce, eCustoms, eGovernment, eHealth, rules for electronic communications, network and
information security, digital skills and promoting innovation, to mention some
possibilities.
Further topics like
infrastructure extension within Ukraine and between Ukraine and the EU,
spectrum policy, industry digitisation, and cyber
security could as well be analysed and if agreed,
included in the cooperation.
Ground work is already
on its way. The Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement which the EU has
concluded with Ukraine, provides a good basis for deepening our digital
cooperation. Additionally, the 1st Eastern Partnership Ministerial meeting on
Digital Economy (June 2015) has reaffirmed our joint commitment to digital
cooperation for the benefit of our economies and societies.
I believe in deepening
our cooperation and we have already many success stories as a starting point
but what we have achieved together is not enough.
We should be inspired
by our successful cooperation in the Energy Community and we should work
together to develop a similar common vision of a Digital Community between the
EU and Ukraine, and bringing in other neighbouring
countries.
On my side, I can
confirm the continuing support of the Commission to Ukraine's ambitious
reforms. If we work together the Digital Single Market does not need to stop at
the external borders of the EU but it should comprise our close neighbours like Ukraine as well.
To achieve this vision
will require efforts on both sides; but I am convinced that it will lead to
investments and growth for both partners. In this respect I want to use this
opportunity to recall that one of the main deterrents for European investors in
Ukraine is the level of corruption. The government has done a lot in terms of
legislation and in setting up anti-corruption institutions, but this needs to
be followed through and implemented.
Let me now tell you
about the next steps to achieve our aim:
I have already reserved in my calendar the
afternoon of 18 October 2016. On that date, I will host in Brussels an Informal
Partnership Dialogue on the Digital Community. Digital Ministers (or their
representatives) from all 6 eastern European partner countries, as well as the
Slovak digital minister (representing the Presidency of the EU) will be invited
to continue the discussion and elaborate further the idea of the Digital
Community.
Following this
meeting, I intend to invite the EU Member States into the discussion. My aim is
to have a solid Digital Community concept tabled for endorsement by the 2nd
Eastern Partnership Ministerial Meeting on Digital Economy in spring 2017.
On the basis of these
high-level meetings and the ground work done through the Eastern Partnership,
the EU Member States together with the 6 eastern European partners should aim
to present the Digital Community concept and its implementation roadmap, as a
major deliverable at the next Eastern Partnership Summit planned for mid-2017.
Investing in the
digital economy and society will boost the economic revival of Ukraine and
other EU neighbours and it will bring our citizens
closer to each other.
I am convinced that
our common vision and our common effort will bring significant mutual benefits.
Thank you very much
for your attention.
European Commission