EBRD offers assistance for new information technology projects

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is ready to offer assistance to the Republic of Moldova for the development and implementation of development strategies for broadband Internet access, the shift from analogue to digital television, for projects related to the development of communications and information technologies, the National Regulatory Agency for Information Technologies (ANRCETI) said in a press release, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. ANRCETI director Sergiu Sitnic said the Agency intends to complete market assessments by the end of the year before starting the projects and introduce preventive measures to protect competition on the respective markets. BERD Counsel Paul Moffatt said the Bank was ready to offer Moldova supplementary assistance. He also said the project experts would assist ANRCETI with reviewing the Law on Electronic Communication and with adjusting it to the EU electronic communication directives amended in 2009, as well as with developing a middle-term strategy for communication regulations. The project „Communication Regulatory Development”, was launched in October 2009 and is intended to provide technical assistance to the Agency in implementing the Law on Electronic Communications and harmonization of national regulatory practices with European Union norms and standards. The project is estimated at 898,300 euros and its duration is two years. The “Communications Regulatory Development” project is the second technical assistance project offered to ANRCETI. The first project was offered to the Agency at its inception in 2000 – 2002, by USAID.