The meeting of the Advisory Council for the Digitisation of the Economy – iConsultation took place. More than 750 people were connected to the event, broadcast live. At the meeting the draft of the new legislative package on digitisation of the economy and e-commerce was presented. The document contains a number of legislative innovations, according to the experts who drafted it. Roman Ivanov, partner at Vernon I David Law firm and legal expert who participated in drafting the changes, says the document envisages, among other things, stimulating digital innovation in non-IT companies and implementing the practice of digital nomads in Moldova to attract a new wave of economic activity. The amendments are intended to support companies, in different sectors of the economy, which are facing a shortage of qualified IT specialists because they cannot offer them a competitive salary. Attending the event Veronica Arpintin, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitisation (MDED), mentioned the importance of this legislative package which completes the series of actions on the digitisation of the national economy that the ministry is carrying out. In this context, Mihai Lupașcu, Secretary of State at MDED, gave a presentation of these actions during the iConsil meeting. Among the ministry’s priorities is the launch of the government application EVO which will allow citizens to have their driving licence, passport and other documents available on their phones. According to Mijai Lupașcu MDED aims to have at least 75% of government services delivered digitally by the end of 2024. During the same event, the first conclusions of the Study on the transposition of the European EMD/DSA regulations were presented. In the process of harmonisation with EU legislation, the need to thoroughly analyse the effects of the transposition of EU acts on digital markets and digital services into the national regulatory framework was identified. The study, launched at the initiative of the Economic Council Secretariat and supported by the USAID Institutional and Structural Reforms in Moldova Project, consists of assessing, drafting and promoting legislative alignment so that it does not contradict European practice and does not affect the business environment in Moldova. The document is to be presented to MDED and then discussed with the business community, including at the Economic Council. At the iCouncil meeting, the Economic Council’s digital agenda, the results of the year 2023 in the implementation of the Digital Economy and E-Commerce Roadmap, was also presented. Experts from the Economic Council Secretariat called on members of the platform to update the Roadmap. The Consultative Council for the Digitization of the Economy – iConsiliu is a Working Group within the Economic Council to the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova that is responsible for promoting reforms on the remote interaction between Government/Business and Business/Consumers. The Chair of the Working Group is the Minister of Economic Development and Digitisation, Vice-Chair: Marina Bzovi, Executive Director of the Association of ICT Companies of Moldova.

The Secretariat of the Economic Council to the Prime Minister is supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, funded by the UK Government’s Good Governance Fund.