Update November 2000: Romania

During the last quarter the executive structures of the main regulatory bodies related to the Information society remained stable.

The mass media show an increasing interest in IC&T issues, as the public awareness is growing.

1. Ministries involved

• The National Agency for Communications and Informatics - NACI (since December 23, 1998, by Government Order nr.973; formerly organised as Ministry of Communications) is the legal authority for telecommunications and informatics.
• General Inspectorate (Department) of Communications, under NACI co-ordination.
• The National Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation (formerly organised as Ministry of Research and Technology) is the legal authority for scientific and technological research and development.
• The National Education Ministry is the legal authority for regulation in field of national education.
• Ministry of Industry and Commerce
• Sorin Potanc (new entrant), State Secretary in the Ministry of Trade and Industry proposed an electronic signature law (draft) supervised by ANCI (National Agency for Communication and Informatics).
• Within MIC an important role in promoting the IS and especially the electronic commerce is played by the Romanian Foreign Trade Centre. Its activity is also directed towards connecting the SME representatives of Romania with decision factors and partners from other countries facilitating the participation in Seminars and symposiums on information technology use in SME activity.
  New entrant: Dumitru Radoi, General Manager, Romanian Foreign Trade Centre and Luminita Lungu, Counsellor

2. Research institutes and centres

• National Institute for Research and Development in Informatics - ICI – Bucharest
• Institute for Computers - ITC – Bucharest
• SOFTWARE ITC SA Cluj Napoca
• National Research and Development Institute for Microtechnologies - IMT – Bucharest
• National Communications Research Institute
• National Design Institute for Telecommunications – Telerom Proiect SA – Bucharest - (www.telerom.ro)
• Centre for Economy Informatics and Cybernetics - Academy of Economic Studies – Bucharest
• FEMIRC Centre – Innovation Relay Centre.

3. Public bodies involved

• Romanian Academy of Sciences – Section for the Science and Technology of Information. Founded in 1992 has today 12 corresponding and full members out of a total number of 14 sections and 181 members for the entire Academy. One of the roles of the section is to encourage the domains of science and technology that are at the core of the information society
• Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania and Bucharest Municipality (since 1990) – keeps information about the companies registered in Romania. Is a promoter of IT not only inside the organisation, but also in the business field (electronic commerce).
• Constanta Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Shipping and Agriculture: Corina Ürmösi(new entrant) - Business Information Centre.
• Brasov Chamber of Commerce and Industry: Luisa Palos (new entrant) International Relationship Manager
• Bucharest Stock Exchange (since 1995). Is a promoter of IT not only inside the organisation, but also in the business field.

4. Professional organisations

• ATIC - Association of Information Technologies and Communications of Romania (http://www.atic.org.ro).
• ANIS – National Association of Software Enterprises (http://www.anis.ro)
• ARIES – Romanian Association for Electronic & Software Industries (http://www.aries.ro)
• ROMINFOR - Romanian Association for Research in Communication and Information Technologies (http://www.cef.pub.ro/rominfor)
• APRCC – Romanian Cable Communication Professionals Association (Asociatia Romana pentru Comunicatii prin Cablu Profesionale)
• INFOREC – Romanian Association for Promotion of Higher Education of Economic Informatics (Asociatia pentru promovarea învatamântului superior de informatica economica)
• ARCA – Romanian Association for Audiovisuals Communications (Asociatia Romana de Comunicatii Audiovizuale)
• National Association of Romanian Exporters and Importers-Foreign Trade Promotion Centre SA

5. IS forums

Forum for the Information Society (since March 1997, under the aegis of the Romanian Academy). The Forum for the Information Society of the Romanian Academy, playing the role of a forum of the civil society, intends to arise the interest in the Romanian society concerning the development of the information society, and to propose and stimulate by specific proposals a series of measures and actions in this direction.

6. Journalists from newspapers, specialised magazines and Radio and TV studios

From the general newspapers Adevarul or Romania Libera hosting IS dedicated round tables, to the financial oriented ones like Curentul and Capital that have dedicated sections or publish their own reports, an increasingly number of newspapers have IS and IT&C dedicated sections.

The openness towards the Information Society is ever larger, very many Romanian newspapers being also present on Internet (see www.ziare.com). A portal of the Romanian newspaper can be accessed at the address www.ziare.com.

A study produced by the World Bank estimates for the year 1998, 300 newspapers existing in Romania. In the year 2000, there are more than 30 specialised publications (software, hardware, IT events, etc) the most important being (PC Report, PC Magazine, IT Business, ComputerWorld,easyPC, etc.).

The public national television channels and the national Radio Broadcasting Company also hosts round tables with well known IC&T specialists and businessmen as well as policy makers.

TVR2 and ProTv (http://www.protv.ro) television shows specialised on IT, but the transmission hour has not enough audience.

Radio and television stations are present on Internet (Antena 1, PRO TV). It should be also noted the presence of press agencies on Internet (Rompres and Mediafax).

In the period July-September 2000 the mass-media activity focused on the political actions having in view the general elections of November 2000.

These facts reflect that the public is more aware of the importance of the IS issues.

7. Expert group involved in development of Romanian Information Society

In the period July-September 2000 ARIES initiated a series of working groups for various themes (educational software, public administration, biomedicine) but the participation was relatively reduced because of the vacation period. The list of members of these working groups will be available on Internet at the address www.aries.ro.