E-services for citizens at local and regional level in EaP countries
This study was prepared as part of a project on E-services for citizens at local and regional level in EaP countries commissioned by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) under the specific contract No CDR.17081 implementing multiple framework contract for studies in the field of external relations No CDR/2022/B3/1/1-CIVEX-RELEX.
The aim of the study was to provide basic facts and figures, background information, and a preliminary analysis on the electronic (digital) administrative and information services that the local and regional authorities in Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries provide to citizens, with a comparison to similar services provided in selected EU Member States and Western Balkan countries. In line with the agreement with the CoR, the study covers Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova on the side of the EaP states, and Poland and Estonia on the side of the EU, as well as Montenegro. Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine that commenced on 24 February 2022, and the fact that Ukraine was in a state of war during the period of writing this study, only some specific, salient examples from this country are included herein.
The timeframe of the study is 2019–2022. In this context, the study also turns attention where possible to the temporal dimension of the provision of services, identifying where a particular kind of e-service was introduced, or significantly expanded or improved, following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study is based on desk research and was informed by insights from interviews with practitioners possessing hands-on knowledge on providing e-services in Georgia and Moldova, as well as from information request forms delivered by stakeholders from Azerbaijan and Montenegro. Stakeholders from Armenia delivered a brief information note.
This study supports and provides input for the CORLEAP rapporteur’s work on the report “E-services for citizens – what good came out of the COVID pandemic?” to be adopted at the CORLEAP Annual meeting on 7 September 2023 in Batumi, Georgia.
