e-Governance

The idea of electronic governance (e-Governance) is mainly related to the provision of high quality and compound administrative services to citizens, nevertheless it also includes numerous other opportunities such as the right to vote, access of the citizens to justice by using information and communication technologies, and many other services offered to businesses and individuals by the local authorities.

Law and Internet Foundation is one of the leading Bulgarian organizations in the field. On its own initiative the Foundation has created multiple analyses, statements and policy documents. It has also served to the state by developing written legal consultations, related to the electronic document flow in the administrations, including internal rules for work with electronic documents, keeping of electronic registers and the use of electronic signatures in electronic administrative services, provided to citizens. The Foundation has conducted numerous seminars and specialized trainings of state and municipal authorities on issues related to e-Governance.

In 2006, by assignment of the Ministry of State Administration and Administrative Reform, Law and Internet Foundation developed a Roadmap for e-Government Development in Bulgaria 2006 – 2009 and a Legal Framework of Electronic Governance in Bulgaria.
Law and Internet Foundation experts have managed the work groups, drafting the Electronic Governance Act and the secondary legislation on its implementation (2006 – 2007) and also participated in the development of the legislation after the act came into force.

In 2008 Law and Internet Foundation experts prepared a complete analysis of the existing national e-Governance legislation regarding the implementation of electronic government, including normative acts; an analysis supplemented by a comparison of the existing practices in the implementation of e-Governance in the EU Member States; and proposals for further legislation development and improvements of the existing practices for implementation of the Strategy for E-government.

During the same year Law and Internet Foundation experts elaborated a full analysis and provided consultations to business associations in Bosnia and Herzegovina within the World Bank project on the development of ICT in the country. In the final report the national legislation on e-communications, e-commerce, e-government, information society services, intellectual property, taxation, e-public procurement and e-invoicing have been examined. The report included comprehensive recommendations, serving as a basis for establishing a national ICT strategy.

Again in 2008, Law and Internet Foundation participated in a project for building a network of training centers for local administration employees to the implementation of the Aquis in the area of information society. Law and Internet Foundation experts prepared educational materials, trained a team of lecturers and organized training courses throughout the country.

In November 2008 the Foundation staff organized a national conference "The Road to e-Municipality – the Digital City" under the aegis of Sofia Municipality and with the support of the National association of municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria. The conference was attended by experts and guests from the leading EU Member States in the field. They discussed the best solutions and practices for a reasonable and adequate implementation of new technologies in the service of citizens.

In the following couple of years Law and Internet Foundation has continued to support regional and local authorities in optimizing their internal processes and integrating electronic administrative services.