Cooperation in the field of digital economy is one of the key priorities in the cooperation between Ukraine and the EU. The basis for bilateral cooperation is constituted by the provisions of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU, as well as the agreements reached as a result of the Ukraine-EU Summit meetings and bilateral bodies of the Ukraine-EU Association.

Currently, integration into the EU Single Digital Market is one of the priority goals of the Ukrainian Government.

Roaming with the EU

Ukraine's accession to the EU roaming space is one of the flagship steps for Ukraine to gain internal market status in the electronic communications sector, as foreseen by the Association Agreement, and also a practical step and demonstration by the European side of the desire to see Ukraine as an EU member state.

In this context, on April 8, 2022, 24 EU mobile operators (including Vodafone, Orange, Deutsche Telekom, and others) and three Ukrainian mobile operators (Kyivstar, VF Ukraine, lifecell) signed a Joint Statement on coordinating efforts to ensure affordable and free roaming during international calls between the EU and Ukraine. The document aims to apply a coordinated approach by operators on both sides (voluntary reduction of wholesale roaming rates and international call termination services based on commercial agreements) to support Ukrainian refugees, helping them stay in touch within the EU with family and friends at home without excessive costs.

In January 2023, under the auspices of the European Commission and with the support of the NCC, seven Ukrainian (Kyivstar, Vodafone Ukraine, lifecell, Ukrtelecom, Data Group, Vega Telecom Group, and 3Mob) and 20 European mobile and fixed operators signed a new Joint Statement, which is valid until July 2024.

As a result of the Joint Statement, about 4.5 million Ukrainians roaming in the EU can call home to Ukraine and use mobile internet for free or at more affordable rates.

In the context of long-term liberalization of roaming rates between Ukraine and the EU, creating conditions for Ukraine's accession to the EU policy of "Roam like at home" remains an unchanged priority for both Ukraine and the EU.

On April 29, 2023, the Association Committee Ukraine-EU in the Trade Component (AC) updated Annex XVII-3 of the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU to include the necessary EU roaming legislation. According to the updated Annex XVII-3, Ukraine will have 1 year (until April 2024) to implement EU roaming legislation into national law.

Electronic Trust Services

Another key priority for Ukraine is to achieve the EU internal market status or mutual recognition in the field of electronic identification, authentication, and trust services (accessing public services online, concluding contracts electronically with foreign counterparties, obtaining international electronic invoicing, etc.).

Thanks to fruitful cooperation with the EU, Ukraine has already made significant progress in implementing eIDAS (EU Regulation on Electronic Identification and Trust Services).

In May 2023, the European Commission published a list of countries included in the TC AdES LOTL (EU Trust List). It contains information about electronic signatures and seals of non-EU countries, allowing them to be verified in EU countries. Ukraine became the first country to be included in this list. Ukrainian electronic signatures and seals on digital documents can now be verified using the EU infrastructure – European countries can now accept electronic statements and documents signed using Diia.Sign-EU.

This is an important step towards mutual recognition of qualified trust services. Previously, the European Commission conducted a technical assessment of the legal and technical components of Ukrainian electronic signatures and confirmed that the Ukrainian infrastructure meets all EU requirements to be part of the EU trust list. The European Commission also recognized that Diia.Sign-EU complies with the EU eIDAS Regulation and can be used to sign documents or contracts that are valid both in Ukraine and in EU countries.

From its side, Ukraine has already recognized qualified trust services of the EU. This allows EU citizens to use their national qualified certificates for electronic signatures or seals in Ukraine or when doing business with companies in Ukraine.

EU Program "Digital Europe"

The Digital Europe Program (2021-2027) is an EU funding program with a total budget of 7.6 billion euros, aimed at spreading digital technologies among the population, businesses, and public institutions. The goal of the Program is to accelerate economic recovery and stimulate the digital transformation of European society and economy.

The Program provides strategic funding for projects in five key areas (SO - strategic objectives):

· SO1 "Supercomputers";

· SO2 "Artificial Intelligence, Data, and Cloud Computing";

· SO3 "Cybersecurity and Trust";

· SO4 "Digital Skills";

· SO5 "Ensuring Wide Use of Digital Technologies in the Economy and Society", including through the establishment of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs).

On September 5, 2022, on the sidelines of the 8th Ukraine-EU Association Council meeting, the Agreement on Ukraine’s accession to the EU Digital Europe Program was signed. Signatories included Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine – Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine Mykhailo Fedorov on the Ukrainian side and EU Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton on the EU side. In February 2023, the Agreement between Ukraine and the EU on Ukraine’s participation in the Program was ratified.

In September 2023, the Government designated the National Contact Point for the Program - the Office for Entrepreneurship and Export Development. With the aim of scaling the Program in Ukraine, there are plans to establish a network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs).

EU Program "Connecting Europe Facility.Digital"

The "Connecting Europe Facility" (CEF) program supports the development of trans-European networks in infrastructure sectors such as transport, telecommunications, and energy. These three sectors are combined within CEF as there is significant potential for synergy between them.

The Digital component of the Program - CEF Digital is aimed at developing connectivity in the EU and is designed to support the development of digital infrastructure for the period from 2021 to 2027. CEF Digital supports projects in the field of communication that are of common interest, in particular, for backbone networks connecting the EU with third countries, in line with the "Global Gateway" strategy, as well as for the development of secure, reliable, and resilient high-performance infrastructure, including gigabit networks and fifth-generation (5G) mobile networks.

On June 6, 2023, EU Commissioner for Transport Adina Vălean and Vice Prime Minister for Ukraine’s Reconstruction, Minister of Communities, Territories, and Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov signed the Agreement on Ukraine’s accession to the EU Connecting Europe Facility in all three of its components.

Initiative "Laptops for Ukraine"

On December 1, 2022, the European Commission, together with the trade association DIGITALEUROPE and the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, announced the creation of a new initiative called "Laptops for Ukraine" to collect gadgets from European businesses, philanthropists, and citizens for the needs of our country.

The goal of the initiative is to collect and deliver over 50,000 laptops, smartphones, and tablets to meet the essential needs of schools, hospitals, and government administrations in the most affected regions of Ukraine due to the Russian war.

In June 2023, the initiative was expanded to help Ukrainian cultural institutions digitize, scan, and photograph documents and objects that could be lost due to the war.

Throughout 2023, the initiative collected about 13,000 gadgets and delivered the first batches of devices to Ukraine, which allowed for providing connectivity and internet access to our citizens in the most affected regions.

Useful Links:

Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine: https://thedigital.gov.ua

Presentation of the "Diia" System: https://plan2.diia.gov.ua

Agreement on EU Support for Electronic Governance and Digital Economy in Ukraine (on the website of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine): https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/984_001-20

European Commission Portal on the Digital Domain: https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/europe-fit-digital-age_en

Joint Statement on Coordinating Efforts to Provide Affordable and Free Roaming During EU-Ukraine International Calls: https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/joint-statement-eu-and-ukrainian-operators-help-refugees-ukraine-stay-connected

EU Program "Digital Europe": https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/activities/digital-programme

https://business.diia.gov.ua/en/digital-europe-programme

EU Program "Connecting Europe Facility": https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/find-funding/eu-funding-programmes/connecting-europe-facility_en

Initiative "Laptops For Ukraine": https://laptopsforukraine.com/