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ITU Europe Region Initiatives 2023-2025

The ITU’s initiatives in Europe are centered around global activities and projects. These regional Initiatives are designed to address specific priority areas of particular importance to the Europe region.

Formulated and revised at successive 4-yearly World Telecommunication Development Conferences (WTDC), these regional initiatives mobilize creative partnerships to implement the range of small, medium and large scale projects outlined here. Regional initiatives guide ITU and countries themselves in developing and implementing specific projects to address priority needs in the area of telecommunications and information and communication technologies.

The ITU welcomes all stakeholders to engage with us in developing and delivering these vital actions. Contact us at eurregion(at)itu.int.

Please find latest Implementation Report of ITU Regional Initiatives for Europe (January - December 2022)

EUR1: Digital infrastructure development

Annual convening platforms

ITU-EKIP Regional Regulatory Forum
- ITU-EKIP Regional Regulatory Forum for Europe 2023
- ITU-EKIP Regional Regulatory Forum for Europe 2024
5G Techritory
- 5G Techritory Forum 2023
- 5G Techritory 2024
- Techritory Forum 2025
International Regulatory Conference 2025 (coming in May 2025)

Cooperation with BEREC, EaPeReg, EMERG

Memoranda of Understanding with EaPeReg and EMERG
Series of Joint Workshops on Strengthening Broadband Infrastructure and Services across the Europe Region and beyond
Compendium on Mapping Systems
ITU-EMERG-EaPeReg Digital Transformation Regulation Training, addressing digital regulation strategies, evidence-based decision-making, and the latest in regulatory developments

Technical Assistances

Moldova: Development of Technical Specifications to Establish a Broadband Mapping System
Albania: Development of Technical Specifications for the Implementation of Broadband Mapping Systems
Albania: Development of the Technical Specifications for the Upgrade of the Spectrum Monitoring System
Montenegro: Recommendations for a national plan for the development of networks for broadband internet access 2025-2029 for Montenegro
Montenegro: Establishment of the IPv6 Laboratory and first IPv6 Transition Workshop

Projects

The 3 EUR million project on promoting and measuring universal and meaningful connectivity was launched with the EC to make universal and meaningful connectivity a top policy priority.
Africa's National Broadband Mapping Systems (Africa-BB-Maps), funded by the EU’s Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Multi-Annual Indicative Programme 2021-2027, with a total contribution of EUR 15 million for the total duration of 48 months.

EUR2: Digital transformation for resilience

Digital Transformation

Human-Centric Approach to digital with Spotlight Series to enhance the understanding of human-by-design digital features.
Accelerating the digital transformation of government services through GovStack Initiative
ITU-FAO Compendium for pre-accession countries on EU’s digital agriculture requirements
Support to North Macedonia and Moldova in formulating their digital transformation strategies
Digital Agriculture and Rural Transformation in Albania led by FAO, ILO, and ITU
Digital Transformation of Local Self-Governments in Montenegro led by UNOPS and ITU
ITU is the knowledge partner at the Joint Program implemented in Serbia on “Digital Service Design Hub Clicking Together with Citizens”
Digital Excellence in Agriculture Report: FAO-ITU Regional contest on good practices advancing digital agriculture in Europe and Central Asia
World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2023 - Workshop on “Rethinking Public Services: Strategies for Achieving Digital Transformation Goals”

Resilience

ITU-UNEP-UNITAR E-Waste Monitor for the Western Balkans
Strengthening the emergency preparedness of Moldova and Georgia though support in establishing the EWS
Regional Initiative Accelerator Workshop for the Western Balkan countries

EUR3: Digital inclusion and skills development

Accessibility

Accessible Europe: ICTs for All celebrated in 2022 and 2023
- 2022: Accessible Europe: ICT 4 All "Celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities"
- 2023: Accessible Europe: ICT 4 All Forum
Regional Assessment of Enabling Environments Ensuring Accessible ICT for Persons with Disabilities in the Europe Region

Digital skills

Digital Skills Assessment for the Elderly in Albania
Assessment of Digital Literacy in Moldova

Generation Connect Europe

Generation Connect – Europe Youth Group
- 2025: 18 Youth Envoys from 8 Countries represented

GC Youth Event at CEPT (September)

Network of Women

Girls in ICT yearly celebration
- Girls in ICT 2023 Event for Europe: Digital Skills for Life
- Girls in ICT 2024 Event for Europe: Leadership
NoW ITU-T session at CEPT (May)
NoW ITU-D session at CEPT (September)
ITU-D NoW Mentorship Program
EQUAL EU
Gender lexicon

EUR4: Trust and confidence in the use of telecommunications/ICTs

Cybersecurity

2023 Interregional CyberDrill for Europe and Asia-Pacific, held in Cyprus and bringing together 200 participants from 40 countries
2024 ITU Cybersecurity Forum and CyberDrill for Europe and the Mediterranean, held in Bulgaria
Her CyberTracks - joint ITU-GIZ Initiative that aims to promote the equal, full, and meaningful representation of women in cybersecurity, with a regional forum held in 2024 in Tirana. 2025 edition was announced at RDF 2025 and the regional forum will be held in July 2025, in Chisinau, Moldova.

Child Online Protection

CWG COP (10th of October 2023 and 22d-23d January 2024)
In Andorra, a national assessment of child online protection was launched.
In Malta, the rollout of child online protection guidelines and a training-of-trainers event helped raise awareness about the protection and rights of children online.
In Serbia, support was given to the rollout of child online protection guidelines by the National Contact Centre for Children’s Safety.
Roll Out of the COP Guidelines at the National Level in Europe Region

EUR5: Digital innovation ecosystems

Digital Innovation Profiles have been developed for
- Georgia
- North Macedonia
- Serbia
- Albania (2016 with the 2024 Revision)
- Malta (2025)
Global Innovation Forum (GIF-24), 28-30 October 2024

UN Processes: ITU as a member of the UN Development System

ITU Office For Europe - Contribution to the UN System
UN Digital Transformation Group for Europe and Central Asia
- Co-chaired by ITU and UNECE
- Support to UNCTs / Inputs to CCAs / Co-creation and updates of Digital Development Country Profiles
- Digtial Segment of the UN Regional Sustainable Developemnt Forum for ECA
- Flagship initiatives of the UN system related to digital transformation document
- UN digital development toolbox: Guidelines, frameworks and tools supporting the UN Development System delivery on digital in Europe and Central Asia
- Digital skills, education, and competencies: Compendium for Europe and Central Asia was developed incorporating inputs by UN Digital Transformation Group for Europe and Central Asia. To present its findings, a special session on Digital Skills was held with the UN Country Teams of the ECA Region in 2024, co-organized by the UN Digital Transformation Group for Europe and Central Asia.
- World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) Forum 2023 - Accelerating digital development in Europe and Central Asia: On our way to Agenda 2030
Non-resident member of 8 UN Country Teams
- Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Ukraine
ITU-UNCT Digital Development Country Profiles
Kicked off the work on Digital Transition at the Country Level (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Several Multiagency Projects launched

Cooperation with European Institutions: EU, EC, EaPeReg, EMERG, IRG, BEREC, EIB, EBRD, OECD Council of Europe, EBU

UN Brussels Digital Taskforce co-chaired by ITU and UNESCO

UN-EC Strategic Dialogues: AI, Human Rights, Gender, Digital Skills, Disinformation
Dialogues with EU Council Presidencies, Digital 4 Development Hub
Ongoing Actions: “Green and Digital”; Human Rights Due Diligence for Digital Technology Use presentation; Follow-up to the Summit of the Future and adoption of the Global Digital Compact; continuation of EU-UN Thematic Dialogues.

European Commission 

DG CNECT, DG INTPA, DG EEAS, DG NEAR, DG Employment, DG Agri
Recent ITU-DG CNECT synchronization workshop

EU Council 

Hungarian Presidency (Briefing to WP Telecom, WTSA one of the Priorities)
Polish Presidency (Monthly Briefings to WP Telecom, Knowledge partner for Retreat in Geneva)

BEREC, EaPeReg, EMERG 

Proactive follow up to the MoUs

Council of Europe 

Towards the MoU defining the focus of strengthened cooperation

Regular coordination with the EIB, EBRD, OECD, EBU 

ITU activities related to Ukaine

Assessing

Development of Ukraine Digital Development Profile 2024 which will inform the UN's Common Country Analysis for 2024 and will be the foundation of the ITU's input to the 2025 Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA) 2025.

Assisting

Towards rebuilding and rehabilitation of the Broadcasting Stations
As of August 2024, 10 stations have been already assessed, and 10 initial bankable project proposals are currently seeking financial support to kick off the rehabilitation.

Human capacity development action

Executive Training Program for Ukrainian Officials working in the digital sector on the 5G roll-out.
Organisation in cooperation with the European Commission organizes the TAIEX training on implementation for Ukrainian policymakers and regulatory and technical experts to be hosted by the Office of Electronic Communication of Poland.

Mobilizing commitments

Special Fund: Thank You to Japan, Czech Rep., Bulgaria, Lithuania!
ITU actively engaged in the Ukraine Recovery Conference in UK and Berlin and continues to develop the network of the partners.

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