CRPE launches the report “Inclusive Digitalisation: How Public Authorities and the Private Sector Work Together to Reduce the Digital Divide in Romania,” which maps good practices in digital inclusion from both public institutions and private initiatives. The report aims to encourage stronger cooperation between authorities, businesses, and civil society organisations.
Concerning Digital Skills Levels
According to the 2025 Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), only 27.7% of Romanians aged 16 to 74 possess basic digital skills—a figure that has stagnated in recent years and sits far below the EU average of 54% and the EU’s target of 80% by 2030. Romania has set itself a modest national target: reaching just 50% basic digital skills by 2030. Meanwhile, internal gaps continue to widen, especially among rural residents, vulnerable groups, and disadvantaged communities—precisely where improved access to digital services and skills is most needed. These disparities reflect deep social and demographic divides and risk becoming more entrenched without targeted support for those most exposed to digital exclusion.
Successful Digital Initiatives
There are strong initiatives across public administration—particularly at the local level—as well as in the private sector and within civil society. In the private and civic spheres, we note several long-term programmes with strong results, supporting both basic and advanced digital skills. Local authority initiatives, while commendable, are often project-based, guided by broad objectives and lacking continuity, with impact indicators that are insufficiently defined. Even so, there are notable exceptions: ongoing programmes run by social assistance services or implemented in partnership with civil society organisations and the business community.
Romania’s Digital Decade 2030 Roadmap
CRPE has also published the first monitoring report of Romania’s National Plan for the Digital Decade. Our analysis highlights significant shortcomings in the roadmap—its level of ambition, internal coherence, governance and monitoring mechanisms, clarity of institutional responsibilities, and even its credibility when assessed against the EU’s Digital Decade targets.
Photo by Maac India on Unsplash
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This publication is part of the EmpowerDigi project, funded by the European Citizen Action Service (ECAS) under EURECA 2025 and co-funded by the European Union. The views expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the European Union or ECAS. Neither the European Union nor ECAS can be held responsible for them.
