Non paper - Romanias contribution to the Digital Single Market Strategy (DSM Strategy)

Romania welcomes the program of President Jean-Claude Juncker and his approach to include the
connected digital single market among his main priorities. The completion of the digital single
market will significantly contribute to the long-term growth and competitiveness of the European
economy, to improved efficiency in industrial processes and increased productivity, to the
wellbeing of all our citizens, social cohesion and to substantial savings in public spending. It is
essential that the Union delivers policy objectives like supporting an ageing society, climate change,
reducing energy consumption, improving transportation efficiency and mobility, empowering
patients and ensuring the inclusion of persons with disabilities.
Achieving a true digital internal market is impossible without an active and intensive cooperation
among all member states, European institutions and stakeholders. That is why Romania is
determined to fully engage in the future discussions and consultations on the DSM Strategy but also
to bring a constructive added value to the deployment of a competitive, equitable and strong internal
market.
In order to improve competitiveness in the digital sector, the Union should take concrete measures
in the direction of finding rapid and pragmatic solutions to the existing problems on the market but
also of identifying new opportunities for investments.
Romania strongly believes that the new strategy should focus on bridging the digital divide so that
Europe becomes a real and robust digital single market, where our citizens, companies and
administrations have access and use viable and secure fast broadband connections and digital
services that address their specific needs, in an innovative, open and investment friendly
environment.
Bridging the digital divide
In view of the adoption of the EU Digital Single Market Strategy we have to take into consideration
the regional discrepancies in the EU as regards the development of the digital competences of all
our citizens, the access to the ICT, especially in the rural or remote areas, as well as the low level of
ICT take up by small and medium enterprises. The Union has to come up with concrete measures
that increase demand for ICT and raise awareness on the benefits of the digital single market for
economy and society.
Although the European Union is making efforts to reduce the digital divide among its citizens, the
actual problems on some markets are complicated and costly and they require concerted measures
from all stakeholders.
We have to make sure that all our citizens and companies can access, process and share information
via online environment. They should have access to fast and reliable internet connections, therefore
the Union should encourage those models of investments that respond to the specific needs of the
users, especially in the rural and remote areas where investments are usually less profitable.
The Union should encourage the access to the market for as many broadband providers as possible.
Enhancing digital literacy, skills and digital jobs
In order to enhance competitiveness and productivity gains across the European economy it is of
utmost importance to boost the digital competences and to increase the number of high skilled
practitioners.
Considering the current levels of unemployment it is important to strengthen e-skills initiatives in
public policies and to raise awareness of the new digital competences needed for jobs in the digital
economy.

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Therefore, we need to identify the actual digital needs and also the financial resources to address
those needs, to improve the vocational education and training systems, especially in the area of ICT
and to attract young people into ICT education.
E-inclusion should have a major role in the strategy for digital single market, with well-defined
mechanisms. The DSM strategy will be effective only if it takes into account the social dimension.
We have to focus on capitalising the potential of e-learning and to guarantee better ICT
infrastructure and connectivity in/between schools, as well as in/ between universities and
institutions which are responsible for lifelong learning with the aim of preparing both young people
and adults for the current and future challenges of the labour market. At the same time we have to
focus on improving the digital competences of our teachers and persons involved in initial and inservice training of teachers.
A strong emphasis should also be placed on e-culture. The digitization of cultural objects will not
only create an important legacy for future generations, but it will also boost the EU competitiveness
by developing tourism, cultural and creative industries and entrepreneurship. From this point of
view, it is very important to find viable solutions for the future governance of Europeana.
Digitisation of the public administration
Fast implementation of e-government, e-commerce, e-health, e-invoicing and e-procurement should
remain a high priority on the European agenda. A particular attention should be paid to ensuring the
interoperability of the digital applications, building European interoperable platforms, developing
the key enablers such as eSignatures and eIdentification and exploiting of all the opportunities for
the reuse of information. Efficient, innovative and interoperable services will facilitate transparency
for citizens in the interaction with the public administration and will contribute to the economic
growth.
Making full use of the potential of the emerging technologies such as cloud computing and Open
Data represents a key element for achieving digitisation of public administration.
Confidence, trust and security
In order to achieve a well integrated digital single market, it is crucial to increase the confidence of
users in the online services. It is imperative that online consumers are informed of their rights and
protected while engaging in the digital environment. That also requires a strong support on
protecting the copyright and intellectual property rights.
We have to deploy capabilities and mechanisms for ensuring the security of networks and
information that are able to keep pace with the fast-changing characteristics of the cyber threats and
to ensure a high level of protection in all Member States. We are in favour of a rapid adoption of the
NIS Directive, being convinced that will increase the cooperation and exchange of best practices
among Member States and contribute to the prevention of NIS risks and incidents and to the
response to cyber incidents, reducing thus their negative impact on our economies.
R&D, innovation
The European Union needs to encourage the development of R&D clusters based on private-public
partnership.
We need to create an entrepreneur friendly environment for innovative start-ups. ICT R&D will
boost new technologies and new industries, and will support the creation of numerous well paid
jobs.
We need to reinforce the role of ICT as an input for producing new goods and services (like internet
banking), new ways of doing business and new ways of producing goods and services (integrated
management). It is essential to attract investments in promoting new technologies The single digital
market requires a complete digitization and a real-time approach for the implementation of all
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market services categories. We have to take into account especially the cross-border regime in
which the transactions of goods and services (banking, commercial, industrial, administrative and
social, etc) have to be operated.
Boosting investments in the digital infrastructure
It is crucial to deploy a strong and future oriented broadband infrastructure and to identify adequate
solutions for their financial support, while complying with the Unions rules on competition and
telecommunications networks.
Investments in existing and new generation networks should be encouraged by setting a stable and
transparent regulatory framework and by making the best possible use of funding from the Juncker
Plan, from Structural Funds and Horizon 2020, EIB initiatives, CEF.
Also the procedures for approving the broadband state aids could be lessen by establishing a pattern
solution which leads to a least possible distortion of the competition. When the state aid proposal
closely follows the pattern, a simplified approval procedure shall be employed, or this particular
state aid could be even exempted from the approval requirements. EU shall focus only on the state
aids which divert from the pattern.
Adoption of a future proof regulatory framework
It is important to go further with the adoption of the legislative proposal on Connected Continent.
After an in-depth consultation with all the stakeholders, the future review of the regulatory
framework for electronic communications will have to keep pace with the technological progress
and market requirements, both strengthening the competition and stimulating the investments in the
sector.
Concerning the legal offer of online cultural and creative content, we need to strike the right
balance between creation and innovation in the digital world, ensuring the reward of artists and
creators and, at the same time, the widest access to content protected by intellectual property rights,
in due respect of cultural and linguistic diversity. It is important to envisage these aspects in order to
help citizens benefit from the multiple advantages of the Digital Single market.
Engaging in a broad reform of eHealth services
Tacking into account that a significant part of GDP is spent on healthcare and that the cost of new
technologies is considerable, the implementation of the eHealth Action Plan 2012-2020 should
become a priority. Exchanges of good practices on the reforms of the National Health Systems
could improve the health services offered to the patients (especially from the remote and isolated
communities) through ePrescriptions, eRecords, national Health Cards and information integrated
systems as well as patient empowerment initiatives. The eHealth services could also contribute to
moving the workload of healthcare services from ambulatory to general practitioners.

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