BACKGROUND
The Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) is a composite index that summarises all relevant indicators in order to measure the overall digital performance and tracks the progress of European Union (EU) Member States in their digital competitiveness. As candidates or potential candidates for EU membership, the Western Balkan (WB) economies (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Kosovo*) have recognized the need to monitor digital transformation and progress towards compliance with the EU acquis for electronic communications and information society. All of them have committed to work towards setting a commonly agreed baseline and monitoring progress in the main areas of the digital transformation, including through the collection of data to benchmark Western Balkans economies using DESI.
OBJECTIVES
The overall objective of the project is to provide an analysis of the application of DESI indicators in the individual WB economies. More specifically, this project aims to establish the foundations of the DESI methodology in the six WB economies. This includes the identification and analysis of associated indicators, data sources, the methodologies used for data collection, the frequency of data collection, and all other relevant statistical operations. The final report will assist the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and the responsible authorities in the WB economies in their process of harmonisation the data collection for all DESI indicators, and thus ensure reliable monitoring and evaluation, aligned to the DESI methodology, of the performance in digital competitiveness in all WB economies. Lastly, the Study will provide an analysis of the identified gaps, needs and challenges faced by the relevant WB authorities and will provide short-term recommendations to the relevant WB authorities.
ACTIVITIES
UNU-EGOV provides two International consultants for assessing the State of Application of the Digital Economy and Society Index in the Western Balkans. The UNU-EGOV experts works closely with the RCC and the WB authorities in all six economies.
OUTCOMES
Project outcomes include:
Report on the state of application of Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) in Western Balkan (WB) economies.
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* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSC 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo* Declaration of Independence.