Comparative Analysis of the Availability of Digitalization Indicators in Ukraine and Other EU Eastern Partnership Countries

Abstract

The article contains the results of a study on monitoring the digital economy and society in the Eastern Partnership countries. A brief assessment of the state of affairs in these countries in terms of the availability of data, which are needed to calculate the main indicators of digitalization and, first of all, the DESI index on the basis of the OECD guidelines and recommendations is presented. The assessment was carried out by comparing the information obtained with similar data, approaches and practices of the European Union. It was based on utilization of the "reference " level of the EU countries for closer alignment with the latter.
 Based on the results of the analysis of the state of affairs with statistics, which reflects the processes of digitalization in Ukraine and other Eastern partnership countries, some recommendations on improving the organization of information collection in order to increase the quality of statistical data management are made. This also opens the way for a closer coordination with the European approach to monitoring indicators of digitalization, including calculations of DESI index.
 In Ukraine, work is underway to improve statistical tools for measuring and monitoring digitalization processes. This work is based on the approaches, which are used in the EU countries. In the group of Eastern partnership countries, Ukraine is not among the leaders. It is lagging behind some other countries, first of all - Belarus. At the same time, it should be noted that there are some problems with the use of the Eurostat tools for digitalization measurement.
 In general, the main problems, which have been mentioned by representatives of statistical bodies in the process of collection, analysis, reporting, are the lack of an appropriate statistical unit, lack of funds for the organization of research, lack of qualified personnel, as well as the lack of appropriate tools for data collection (questionnaires, methodological materials for sampling, etc.). The low level of interest on the part of government bodies exacerbates these problems.
 The list of DESI indicators must be approved by the government. It should be developed by the State statistical service of Ukraine in cooperation with other ministries and state agencies. Only after that, the State statistical service of Ukraine will be able to change its statistical questionnaires (forms) and conduct the necessary specialized surveys.
 EU assistance may include several activities that the State statistical service of Ukraine has identified as its needs: data collection tools, staff training, data analysis, etc. Such assistance may be provided within the framework of existing cooperation agreements between the State statistical service of Ukraine and specialized statistical agencies of the EU.