Multi-level quarantines and locomotions caused by coronavirus pandemic in 2020, forced the world more actively using digital technology. Remote work, distance education, online purchases and provision of services became routine, and the shares of telecommunication and other IT companies crawled up. Digitalization is one of the priorities of Eurasian integration, and more recently, the Special Fund has also been operating to the development of initiatives in this area. What is the strategy of the Eurasian Union on the field of digital technologies and for what members of the Union need to strive first of all, analyzed the director of the public association "Center for External Policy and Security", the Belarusian political scientist Denis Bonkin.
New argument in favor of digitalization
2020 largely became the stage of verification of the Eurasian Economic Union for strength and raised many issues regarding the effectiveness of the interaction of the EAEU member countries against the background of the coronavirus pandemic and the economic crisis provoked. During this period, all the plans that Belarus laid in the framework of his chairmanship were actually violated. And, of course, COVID-19 became the main obstacle to the implementation of enough ambitious goals, among which were the complete elimination of barriers, reducing seizures and restrictions on the EAEEC markets, preventing the possibility of new types of obstacles, improving the efficiency of the Union bodies, improving its institutional structure, strengthening Supported competence of the Eurasian Economic Commission and increasing its responsibility and discipline.In the field of international activities, it was planned to intensify the cooperation of the EAEU with international organizations and associations, including the CIS, SCO, ASEAN, the European Union, Merkosur, WTO, OECD, the United Nations Organization, to facilitate the conjugation of integration processes in the Eurasian space and the joint development of transport and logistics infrastructure, including Participation in the projects of the initiative "one belt, one way". In this regard, it was planned to adopt the strategic directions of Eurasian integration until 2025.
However, the number of meetings of the heads of states and higher functionaries, on the shoulders of which and the development of the economic union lies, decreased to funny. ECE, like many other bodies of integration formations on the continent (with the same problems faced the EU) was forced to obey the quarantine rules introduced in response to the increase in morbidity. All this could not but affect the implementation of conceived measures. Yes, and these measures themselves are an increase in the powers of the ECE and the growth of the responsibility of officials for the decisions made, work on standardization, and so on - began to seem not so important against the background of the growth of the number of infected and deaths caused by a pandemic.
At the same time, being in front of the monitor screens, everyone understood the importance and necessity of developing digital technologies and introduce them to everyday life to facilitate communication and the implementation of the goals, contrary to the need to be insulated and distancing. Not in vain on the global exchange, the shares of electronic telephony services and remote conferences took off. In addition, in conditions of coronavirus, those processes that we observed over the past ten years accelerated. Various digital tools, facilitating work and at the same time allowing it to perform their remotely developing more actively.
Plans and objectives
In EAEU, conversations about the need for digital transformation began to be conducted back in 2016, that is, actually a year after the establishment of the Union. It also considered various projects that would have to facilitate the implementation of the planned four freedoms and the creation of single markets in the Eurasian space. The result of long-term discussions was the two-status document "Digital Agenda of the EAEU 2016-2019-2025", which served as a review of already taken steps on the formation of digital space in Eurasia and at the same time served as a strategy for further development until 2025. Digital industrial cooperation was planned under this strategy. , and the creation of digital transport corridors, and even more than ever actual functioning of the labor market on a digital platform with the possibility of remote hiring.
According to this strategy, we are now at the second stage of the implementation of a digital agenda, which provides for the formation of the Institutes of Digital Economics and Digital Assets. And all this should be done by 2022, when we will have to start implementing EAEU ecosystem projects and we will go in the direction of a barrier-free environment.
That is, now they must be created: a portal of cross-border purchases, digital taxation, e-commerce, digital customs, digital logistics, e-health, e-commerce, electronic public services. It is also necessary to consider the launch of the initiative of the basic registers at the Union level.
The formed ecosystem of digital solutions, general digital platforms and digital infrastructure will consist of interrelated and closely integrated components at the regional and national levels, which implies close cooperation and coordination in the process of development and implementation. It is required to take unified approaches to ensuring the compatibility of digital systems and platforms and coordinate them with national approaches in the EAEU countries. It is important to explore, update and expand the current set of ICT standards in order to cover new digital technologies (broadband technology, cloud computing, Internet of things, large data and open data, cybersecurity, and so on.) In accordance with existing international standards.
Cooperation in standardization issues at the international level and the relevant adaptation will ensure integration into global digital processes, and cooperation with the private sector in this area will contribute to acceleration in obtaining economic dividends. In addition, a system of transboundary electronic identification and authentication should be launched, without any transboundary digital trade, nor e-commerce. It is also necessary to agree on centralized certification of relevant systems in Member States to ensure their compatibility and effective interaction. Finally, it should be given to the possibility of creating a mechanism for attracting investment in the development of general digital infrastructure on the territory of the EAEU.
In this context, it is important to provide for the possibility of creating a single digital EAEEC platform, taking into account the experience gained in creating an existing integrated information system, and using innovative solutions for cross-border data exchange between the member states of the Union on priority sectors and markets.
It all looks very and very worthy if not one "but". From 2019, throughout 2020, only one thematic session "Digital Agenda in EAEU: Initiatives and Projects" was held in the framework of the International Forum "Digital Agenda to Globalization Epoch" in Almaty on December 12 of this year. The only hope in this regard is the fact that the country that organized this event - Kazakhstan next year will take the chairmanship of the EAEU from Belarus. Therefore, it is quite possible to expect that the digital agenda will return as a serious point of development priorities of the EAEU for the next year, especially since the realization of plans embedded in it can be not just an exit to a rather difficult period for the Union, but one of the pillars of its further effective development.
Digital agenda Belarus
In this way, the priorities of Belarus remain freedoms of movement of goods, services, capital and labor. It is extremely important to create appropriate digital platforms, significantly facilitating remote interaction and contributing to closer cooperation in the space of the Union. In this regard, it is impossible to forget about such social projects as, for example, the development of telemedicine, which becomes an extremely important element of health during the pandemic period. A simplification of procedures for the implementation of digital transboundary purchases can contribute to an increase in cross-border trade by online business, and an increase in consumer confidence in cross-border e-commerce in EAEU countries.
Digital solutions simplify the procedures for trade and administer transboundary services and provide free movement of goods, services and human resources. An example of such solutions are the basic registries - proven, official and reliable sources of basic information about citizens, business, companies, vehicles, licenses, land, buildings, settlements and roads. They are the cornerstone of digital public services, and their availability and compatibility are a key element of developing new digital services. Another example is the transboundary state procurement. Multilateral agreements on public procurement reduce the gap between imports of imports from the State Parties to the Agreement in public and private consumption. All these elements are extremely important for Belarus and the whole Union.
In 2021, the EAEU will not just offer to work on issues of standardization and tariff regulation, it is not easy to discuss the functioning of common markets and prospects entering uniform markets. It is necessary to offer solutions that could help overcome the negative dynamics, which develops within the economies of the Union member countries and in foreign markets, are still important for all EAEU countries. It is the development of a digital agenda that can be the key that opens the door to a more successful future for the Union.
Denis Bukonkin, Belarusian political scientist, Director of the Public Association "Center for External Policy and Security"