RA Prime Minister, EU Commissioner for Digital Single Market Discuss Cooperation in the Field of Digitization

• 03.07.2019, 20:51
•  Europe,  World,  Armenia

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan today received Andrus Ansip, EU Commissioner for Digital Single Market and Vice-President of the European Commission.

The Premier noted with satisfaction that the activation of top-level EU-Armenia relations over the past few years testifies to the high level of the political dialogue and the cooperation agenda. Nikol Pashinyan assessed as quite effective his March 4-5 visit to Brussels, during which issues of expanding bilateral cooperation were discussed with the heads of EU structures. The Prime Minister said the development of high and digital technologies is a priority on his government’s reform agenda, and the EU is an important partner for Armenia in this area, as evidenced by the fact that this sector is a featured item in the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement.

With reference to the policy of forming a digital market within the European Union, the EU Commissioner for Digital Single Market pointed out that the EU is ready to deepen partnership with Armenia in information and high technologies, share experiences and achievements. Andrus Ansip specifically presented Estonia’s experience in the field of digitalization, noting that the modernization of e-governance and digital management has enabled Estonia to record significant financial savings and increased management efficiency.

After exchanging ideas on the introduction of e-governance tools, implementation of IT and telecommunication projects, the parties discussed prospects for implementing new joint programs. In this context, they touched upon the digitization of public services and expansion of the range of online services, raising public awareness, developing skills in using digital technologies and promoting cooperation in a number of other areas. An arrangement has been reached to start a series of discussions on a common digital program, which might include the priorities of EU-Armenia cooperation.

The Prime Minister instructed Deputy Prime Minister Mher Grigoryan and Minister of Transport, Communication and Information Technologies Hakob Arshakyan to keep in touch with the EU partners and work together to develop cooperation in the field of information technology and digitalization.