USAID Regional Competitiveness Initiative Stability Pact eSEE Working Group Filip Stoyanovich

USAID RCI – SEE ICT Activities USAID RCI THE COMPANIES Making ICT SMEs more competitive through CMMi and Quality Assurance THE YOUTH Educating the new ICT generation on the present online business opportunities through the Virtual Business Incubator guide THE GOVERNMENTS Developing policies for a better business environment, making the ICT sector (and through it other sectors) more competitive globally, through eSEE and eGov Centre

eSEE Working Group and bSEE Taskforce Meeting Budva, Montenegro, 27/09/2006 Topics of the Meeting eSEE Agenda+ bSEE Action Plan eGovernance Centre for SEE Data Harmonization in SEE

eSEE WG and bSEE Taskforce Meeting eSEE Agenda+ eSEE Agenda+ is the Western Balkan countries answer to the Europe+ Action Plan, then i2010 and finally the Lisbon Agenda which has a main goal to increase the competitiveness of the EU and its members eSEE Agenda+ is getting finalized and it will be officially signed at a Ministerial Conference in Sarajevo in the first quarter of 2007

eSEE WG and bSEE Taskforce Meeting bSEE Action Plan bSEE Action Plan to be developed and implemented in all the countries. Regional seminar - SWOT analysis (National Broadband Services Status, National Broadband Infrastructure, etc.) and developing a National Strategy and Action Plan.

eSEE WG and bSEE Taskforce Meeting eGovernance Centre for SEE In connection to EU’s strategic framework “Information Society i2010”, the Centre would be founded for the creation and transfer of knowledge concerning e-governance, e- commerce and the development of modern public administration and democracy in SEE. =

eSEE WG and bSEE Taskforce Meeting eGovernance Centre for SEE (cont.) The main aim of the Centre would be to train and advise leaders and stakeholders in using information and communication technologies to increase efficiency and to improve democratic processes in SEE with the aim of building open information societies and through that improving the business environment and competitiveness of each country.

eSEE WG and bSEE Taskforce Meeting Data Harmonization in SEE Harmonization of trade and customs data requirements in SEE and possibilities for paperless document exchange This Initiative connects the work of the Stability Pact Trade Facilitation and eSEE Working Groups and is the first step towards Single Customs Windows in SEE The Initiative is supported by the Stability Pact and lead by the UNECE, Geneva delegate

USAID RCI and the eSEE Working Group Participation through best practices and public and private stakeholders Support for regional seminars and conferences Establishment of the eGovernance Centre for SEE

Questions to think about? Do we need a Regional Brand for the ICT companies? Do we need a Regional ICT Centre for promotion, education, business development and investment attraction? Is the eGovernance Centre the first step towards that? Do we need a SEE ICT exchange for presenting projects for ICT solutions and company capabilities? Should we promote B2B cooperation and partnerships between ICT SMEs from the SEE countries to do joint outsourcing bids and apply for eGovernment solutions tenders in SEE?