Update July 2000: Romania

1. Introduction

The promotion of the Information Society in Romania is day by day more intense, a greater number of people becoming aware of its importance.

In the promotion of the Information Society some institutions are implied, such as:

Governmental institutions:

NACI – National Agency for Communications and Informatics and Ministry of National Education by organizing symposiums and press conferences (CERF’2000); ANSTI – National Agency for Science Technology and Innovation by FP 5, National Education Ministry (seminar: Information System of the pre-universitary Educational Management)

Mass media:

• Press: The press role is that of information, education and attitude, specialized publications are trying to move in this direction, representing a useful source of information for some interested groups, but unfortunately these groups represent a limited category.
  • Daily newspapers: Romania Libera, Adevarul, Curentul, Capital, Top business etc.
  • Specialized publications: PC Magazine Romania, PC Report, Gazeta de Informatica, (by Computer Press Agora Company) and by web moderation of a discussions list named TIC-lobby. A first effect of this discussions was a governmental regulation. PC World Romania, Computer World Romania, Network World Romania (edited by Information Data Group Romania), Media Express, Comunicatii Mobile (Mobile Communications), Romanian Business Journal, publications of media culture and communication technology.
  • Television: There are two TV stations promoting IS: TVR2; ProTV (broadcasting: "HYPERLYNK http://www.apropo.ro")
• Radio stations: Radio Romania Cultural which disseminates information by two broadcasts twice a week; Radio Uniplus has also a specialized broadcast "Bond in the Net (Prins în retea)”
• Professional Associations: (and also governmental institutions) participate in all IS promotional actions and make lobby for the development of the Information Society.

2. Particularly interesting actions / initiatives

The most important event after April 2000 is the activity of the Substantiation Commission of the National Strategy of Romania's Economic Development. The sub-commission 2 "Information Society" coordinated by prof. Dan Dascalu (member of Romanian Academy) and sub-commission 10 "Communication and Information Technologies" coordinated by prof. Sergiu Stelian Iliescu, President of NACI.

The Substantiation Commission of the National Strategy of Romania's Economic Development (www.cdep.ro), proposed a National Action Plan for 2001-2004. The Substantiation Commission of the National Strategy of Economic Development was established through Government Resolution no 88/3 February 2000. However, it is not a government commission and will not elaborate a government strategy.

The main result of the activity of this Commission (the co-presidents are prof. Mugur Isarescu-Premier Minister and prof. Tudorel Postolache-member of the Romanian Academy) is the elaboration (by the deadline of May 15, 2000) of a strategy for the period 2001-2004. The status of the elaboration of the strategy was examined on May 3, in a meeting organized with the participation of the representatives of the 25 sub-commissions. The report of the sub-commission 2 "Information Society" was presented by prof. Dan Dascalu- coordinator of the sub-commission.

The sub-commission 2 "Information Society" conducts its activity under the aegis of the Romanian Academy, with the consultation of several organizations (including employers' associations, professional associations, ministries, political parties, trade unions and SME's) and specialists. On May 2, it sent the central strategy commission a "record of the information society" which presented the entire situation in a new light. According to the sub-commission, the evolution towards an information society will represent an essential aspect of the national strategy and will also be (together with economic-financial measures) the shortest way towards European integration.

A series of problems of the "record of the information society" are: the awareness of the political factors and the general public; the importance of access to public information; decentralization and democratization; the communication infrastructures and regulation; the assistance to be granted to the high technology industry; a very high-speed network for electronic scientific communications linking research institutions and universities, as well as scientific libraries, scientific centres and, progressively, schools.

The priorities of this record can be found at the following address: www.imt.ro/socinfo2000.

The sub-commission 10 "Communications and Information Technology" presented the report for communications and IT. The priorities of this record can be found at the following address: www.rnc.ro/strategie2000/

The record of the information society was included in Chapter 4 "Education and Innovation" at 4.3. Information Society, Communication and Information Technologies (available in English at www.imt.ro/socinfo2000.)

2.1 CERF’2000, 11-15, April 2000, Romexpo Exhibition Center

CERF, a ninth year exhibition, is the largest information and communications technology fair and conference in Romania. Companies from 20 different countries exhibit products in such categories as software, hardware, communications, peripherals and services.

CERF also includes specialised sections: Telecom: for telecommunications products and services CAD CAMP: focusing on CAD, CAM, CAE, GIS and graphics solutions.

During CERF'2000, Computer Press Agora organized IT thematic conferences.

2.2 April 12th, 2000, at ROMEXPO, N. Titulescu Hall.

The AGNOR HiTech company for communications and computers traditionally organised at CERF'2000 "Communications Day". It is the traditional place of meeting for high political personalities, persons with decisional role in the superior management of IT&C domain in Romania. Communications Day offers the opportunity of evaluating the last events and the development strategies in order to change the political and economical conditions for the Information Society and the development of the communications infrastructure.

The main task for the EU, from this point of view, is to maintain the position in the high domains for a global society bound with telecommunications network. The proposal goal resides from the EC initiatives and in programs such as eEurope report.

The CEEC countries, intent to come back to the economical growth in the concept of globalization. The CE Economic Summit 2000 meeting, at Salzburg, in June will evaluate the economical and political situation and will intent to elaborate long term regional strategies for Romania, Bulgaria and Balkans, for the South Eastern Europe. Romania needs new global partnership relations in the business, administration, academic and media domains for realizing the elaboration and the ideas, opinions and knowledge exchange concerning the key aspects of the integration with an efficient infrastructure for business.

The main participants at Communications Day:

• The Presidency, the Parliament, the Government, NACI and important personalities from the public and private sector.
• Embassies, bilateral strategic partnerships for development
• The main factors from TI&C, regional companies from the market in ascension
• High level experts from the Romanian professional associations and TIC Romanian companies
• The civil Society represented by experts from academic medium and specialized media
• Alternative infrastructures makers from Romania, NACI, MIC, MT and military institutions

2.3 National Agency for Communications and Informatics organized at CERF'2000 International Symposium "The development of Communications and Informatics Market in the South-Eastern Countries" with participation of government authorities from South-Eastern European Countries (Republic of Moldova and Bulgaria). At this event ESIS II Romania Team distributed materials about ESIS and ISPO.

2.4 Press Conference: The ESIS II-Romania project team has organized together with the Commission of National Strategy establishing for Economical Development/commission 2 Information Society (Comisia de Fundamentare a Strategii Nationale de Dezvoltare Economica/Subcomisia 2 Societatea Informationala), a press conference a: The Proposal of Strategy for Information Society for Acceleration of the European Integration (Propunerea de Strategie pentru Societatea Informationala in vederea accelerarii integrarii europene), May 5th 2000, Bucharest, House of Scientists

The presidium was composed by:

Acad. Dan Dascalu – coordinator of commission 2: Information Society, coordinator of ESIS II Romania Project, Prof. Doina Banciu – University of Bucharest, Cornel Vintila – representative of Small and Medium Enterprises Confederation, Manager Mass-media NACI, Calin Popescu - engineer, Manager TOPEX SA, Marius Bâzu – Technical secretariat of commission 2, Corneliu Trisca-Rusu - ESIS II Romania Project.

2.5 At the European Ministerial Conference "Information Society: Accelerating European Integration", May 11-12, 2000, Marriott Hotel, Warsaw, Poland, member of Romanian Information Society participating at thre event:

• "Best Practice Gallery" exhibition at the European Ministerial Conference "Information Society: Accelerating European Integration" Romania was represented by IMT-Bucharest with a presentation of international cooperation projects and specialy the european projects (ESIS II, MEMSWAVE, SBLED, PORSIS, bilateral projects, etc.)
• At the parallel session 3 - Culture, Education and Training Public Administration and Services of General Interest, Prof. Sergiu Stelian Iliescu, President of NACI, presented "Romanian Public Administration Reform and ICT Use". Presentation available on the web page www.esis2.imt.ro
• Signature ceremony by 10 City Mayors from CEECs. For Alba Iulia City Mr.Teofil Florea, Vice-mayor signed the declaration at this ceremony.

2.6 Seminar: "The information and telecommunications specialists training,  using of informatics in the education process - a human resources market globalization need", organized by University Politehnica of Bucharest, Tuesday, May 17th 2000, 15:00, The Senate Hall;

The seminar has proposed itself to debate the main aspects of the human resources compatible with the provocation of the Information Society, targeted on the necessary organization, curricular programs, human resources and financial resources for the realization of this objective.

A tight collaboration between the educational institutions and the industry and scientific research, elaboration of partnerships between universities and institutions specialized on informatics and communications can lead to the growth of the efficiency of the human resources education process, to a more efficient valorization in the process of production and using of knowledge.

2.7 "Information Society Symposium", 18-19, May 2000, EC004 Hall, University Politehnica of Bucharest. Organised by the Department of Computer Science and Engineering. The event was focused on the project management, the software concepts, etc. At the event prof Dan Dascalu presented "Information Society and the development strategy of Romania". Speech is available in electronic format on ESIS II Romania web page.

2.8 Seminar: "Information System of the pre-universitary Educational Management", 24-27, May, Riviera Hotel, Mamaia, Romania

The seminar was organized by National Education Ministry (Programs and Reform Department, Management and Finance component and Informatization Department).

The seminar was open by Mrs. Anca Voicu, Manager of the Informatization Department of the National Education Ministry.

Within the seminar soma materials were analyzed:

"Preliminary documentation for the accordance of the data exchange within the ministry, between the ministry and the subordinated units, between the ministry and others partners" and "Preliminary documentation concerning the informatic system of national pre-universitary education"

2.9 Virtual conference 22nd May, 2000 Organised by ESIS II Romania Project. The conference conclusions include a set of recommendations which were anticipated by the proposal of the Commission of National Strategy establishing for Economical Development/commission 2 Information Society elaborated before 30 April 2000. Almost all the recommendations addressed to the CEE countries were already presented in the proposal of the commission (with other formulation, of course). So, the recommendations of the Ministerial Conference "Information Society" confirm the proposals of the commission.

2.10 The book "Culture de l'Information et Systèmes de Communication au début du XXI-e " under aegis of Bucharest University- and the "L'Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUPELF-UREF)", 6 June 2000,

The book present information about culture and the information technologies, about the development of content industry.

2.11 June 1 2000, Motorola Semiconductor Products Sector opens Motorola DSP Center Romania (MDCR) in Bucharest. The primary focus of this R&D organization will be to develop Digital Signal Processing application software for leading wireless and telecommunications solutions. The MDCR will be closely linked with Politehnica University of Bucharest (Department of Computer Science and Engineering) and other Romanian universities including Politehnica University of Timisoara.

2.12 Chamber of Commerce officials launching their new CD-Rom containing business information, were proud to have created a link with international financial data experts Dun &Bradstreet. 'Pro-Business Romania' has details of around 8,000 Romanian companies, about a third of which have been included in the Australian firm's Data Universal Number System. "DUNS lists about 57 million firms worldwide," said Dun & Bradstreet development manager John Lewry. The CD-Rom, produced by local software developer Mensa Multimedia, also contains information on local branches of foreign firms and a list of commercial events this year, some of which is available at www.ccir.ro/pro2000.

2.13 26 June 2000, Symposium "Towards a National Programme of R&D in "Micro and Nanotechnologies", organized by the National Agency for Science, Technology and Innovation, Romanian Academy and the National Education Ministry with the participation of R&D organizations involved in micro and nanotechnologies. More information are available (in Romanian) at www.imt.ro.

2.14 June 29, 2000, Video Conference "e-Finance Romania" organized by FIN media (The Financial Market Conferences Department) with participation of banks, stock exchange involved in e-business, and international participation (London Stock Exchange-video; Cisco Systems, EMEA, Paris-video). At event FIN media launch the web site www.piatafinanciara.ro (piata financiara=Finance market)

2.15 June 30, 2000, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania and Bucharest Municipality and ESIS II Romania organized the seminar "e-Business; Business and National Strategy for Information Society" ("e-Business Mediul de afaceri si Strategia Nationala pentru Societatea Informationala"). This event was opened by Mr. Rasnoveanu, vice-president of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania and Bucharest Municipality. The speakers (prof. Dan Dascalu-ESIS II Romania, prof. Vasile Baltac-ATIC, Stere Farmache-BVB, Mircea Suciu-APRCC) presented in the first section of symposium the proposal for medium term (2001-2004) Information Society Strategy, the trend for e-business, electronics services, etc. In the second section representatives of Finance Ministry, Industries and Trade Ministry, Banks, Companies and Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania and Bucharest Municipality presented best practices in this domain. The presentations are available on web at address: www.esis2.imt.ro