THE NECESSITY OF A COHERENT DIGITAL STRATEGY IN ROMANIA IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DIGITAL DECADE AND FOR ELIMINATING STRUCTURAL DISPARITIES COMPARED TO DIGITALLY DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
THE NECESSITY OF A COHERENT DIGITAL STRATEGY IN ROMANIA IN THE CONTEXT OF THE DIGITAL DECADE AND FOR ELIMINATING STRUCTURAL DISPARITIES COMPARED TO DIGITALLY DEVELOPED COUNTRIES

Author(s): Rodica Pripoaie, Andreea Elena Matic, Valentina Cornea, Camelia Madalina Beldiman
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Social Sciences
Published by: Editura Universităţii »Alexandru Ioan Cuza« din Iaşi
Keywords: digital decade; digitalization; DESI; public policies;
Summary/Abstract: This paper presents a comparative analysis of Romania’s progress in the context of the Digital Decade compared to digitally advanced countries within the European Union. It highlights the necessity for a coherent digital strategy in Romania to eliminate structural disparities, as there is a noticeable gap between the development of digital infrastructure and the level of digitalization of public services, the economy, and society in general. Although Romania ranks among the top countries regarding coverage with high-capacity fixed networks, the digital transformation of public administration faces challenges related to digital skills, digital education, and the low level of digitalization of SMEs. Platforms like ROeID are a promising step toward digital identity, but their impact is limited by poor interoperability between databases and the fragmented nature of government initiatives. Compared to the European average and leading digital nations, Romania is still far behind in e-government, data integration, and digital innovation. The analysis underlines the urgent need for coherent, cross-sector public policies aligned with European priorities for digital transformation in public administration. Achieving this will require a unified national strategy, backed by sufficient funding and effective e-governance mechanisms, so that Romania can capitalize on its structural advantages and meet the goals set out in the Digital Decade.

• Details
• Contents