Key issues equity issues, especially in rural areas “Internet economy” slow to emerge in Romania low business spending on R&D products and services scarce resources for improving governmental act and processes - low general international competitiveness of Romanian companies

Key causes Inappropriate infrastructure for enabling access to information and knowledge Old fashion manner of performing educational activities Limited e-government specialized services offered both to citizens and business Insufficient business investments in improving management, marketing and networking skills and in acquiring advanced technology products Reluctancy to change, risk adversity and lack of awareness of knowledge-based activities, benefits and positive effects

Objective of the intervention Mission: increased participation of Knowledge-disadvantaged communities to Knowledge-based society and economy by providing access to knowledge and digital literacy to citizens and business and reducing the IT&C educational discrepancies through Local Communities e-Networks (LCENs) Institutions and target groups : Local administrations - civil servants Schools – teachers, pupils, administrative staff Libraries- librarians, users SMEs - Local entrepreneurs General public – rural and small urban inhabitants

Description of the Proposed Intervention Development of 300 “knowledge resource centers” . These e-Networks will connect the main social, economic and educational entities of the local communities – city hall, school, library, house of culture (Public Access Point to Information) – to the national and international information and business e-networks. – 50 mil USD Endowment of rural and small urban school with modern educational learning system assisted by computer, development of pedagogical procedures using IT&C, improving school curricula – 10 mil USD Development of a system for on-line notifications and authorizations of local businesses (local document management systems) – 4 mil USD Developing an integrated network for offering communitaire public services through electronic means at local level – 10 mil USD Promoting the Portal for promotion of e-commerce and business networking (eStore) – 5 mil USD Organizing and promoting Grant Facility Programme dedicated to SMEs for adopting innovative solutions in order to enhancing competitiveness – 20 mil USD How much might they cost?

Institutions involved World Bank Ministry of Communications and Information Technology Ministry of Administration and Internal Affaires Ministry of Education and Research National Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Cooperation Ministry of Culture and Relıgıous Affaıres Associations of local communities

Results Indicators 40% of people in targeted communities have used LCeNs as a tool for education, business or public administration and are satisfied with the results In approximately 300 disadvantaged communities, LCeNs are operating satisfactorily towards a sustainable future in line with their business plans 75% of targeted teachers are using their new skills in the classroom 75% of people in targeted communities, who are willing, are able to acquire basic digital literacy skills 40 % of target beneficiaries (citizens and business) conducting transactions with the government online with 60% completing their transactions with the agreed performance standards 500 co-financed successful projects (single applicants or consortiums) conducting to improving SMEs performance and competitiveness by introducing innovative and modern technologies 10.000 SMEs connected in networks aiming at leveraging their resources for achieving valuable capabilities

Background Information Name of Country: ROMANIA Delegation Representatives: Diana Voicu – KE PMU Director – Ministry of Communications and IT Iulian Manea – KE PMU Assistant Director Viorel Cristea – Director – Ministry of Administration and Interiors Lucian Ciolan – Minister’s counselor – Ministry of Education and Reserch Andi Lazescu – President – eRomania Gateway Association Marcel Duhaneanu – Director Assebus Organization Coordinates: diana.voicu@mcti.ro ; +40.21.4001701