Romania has all the arguments to become one of the leaders of European digital transformation and the fact that, today, we are talking about blockchain, security, infrastructure and Artificial Intelligence shows us that Romania is no longer just spectators at the digital revolution, said on Thursday Vice-President of the European Parliament (EP) Victor Negrescu to the Digital Innovation Summit Bucharest (DISB) 2025.
„The fact that, today, we are discussing in this framework digital intelligence, blockchain, security, infrastructure, Artificial Intelligence and cooperation between institutions, the private sector and experts shows that we are no longer just spectators at the digital revolution. We are part of its architects, and I strongly believe that Romania has all the arguments to become one of Europe’s leaders in digital transformation. A highly-performing IT sector that contributes almost 8% to the Gross Domestic Product, an active digital community, internationally recognised for innovation and a real social appetite for technology adoption, we have to say that. Romania is among the first European countries in terms of connectivity and use of new technologies, although we still have huge discrepancies. The European Union has recently started the ambitious initiative that we must take advantage of, such as the creation of AI factories – innovation centres dedicated to the application of artificial intelligence in the economy and administration. Dozens of such hubs have been funded at European level. Romania is part of such a project, but now I have proposed, and I am working together with the ministry and the partners here in the room, to create an AI factory in Romania. Also, at European level, we are investing in the creation of a network of Artificial Intelligence academies, where we pool training resources and we want to train thousands of Europeans in what it means to design and apply artificial intelligence algorithms in several fields: healthcare, education, energy, security and public administration,” Negrescu said.
He added that the development of large data processing infrastructure projects aims to secure technological sovereignty.
„In parallel, we support the development of Giga Digital Factories, data centres and high-power processing infrastructure, supported by the European budget. The aim is to secure our technological sovereignty and reduce dependence on external infrastructures. Four projects will be financed, and we would very much like Romania to be among them. But technology is not only about speed, but also about added value for people, about trust, about ethics and we must not forget this last aspect. As chief negotiator of the European Union’s budget for 2025, I supported the European Union to invest strategically in the digital area and for this I will also fight in the future multiannual financial framework. For 2025 we have won over EUR 10 billion more to the budget and of this amount, EUR 422 million went to digital education, EUR 20 million went to research in emerging technologies, including blockchain and Artificial Intelligence. At the same time, from these amounts we invest directly in cybersecurity and the digital transformation of public services.”
Negrescu added that the idea that blockchain technology is a reliable infrastructure that allows the safe management of data, assets and interactions between institutions and beyond.
„We cannot talk about digital transformation without accessibility, trust and security, and here blockchain plays a central role. Blockchain technology is not just a buzzword, it is a trusted infrastructure that allows us to manage data, identities, assets, and interactions in a secure, verifiable, and decentralised way. That is why we need to operationalise this technology. Think, for example, of having more transparent financial systems, protected and accessible health data, secure contracts and public transactions automatically and correctly monitored. We are also thinking about interoperability between institutions, without bureaucracy, without opacity. Romania, through concrete initiatives and integrated into European ecosystems, can be a leader in this area. But we need to build more than technological applications. We must not only tick off projects, but we must also build trusted ecosystems, with clear regulation, with accessible digital education, with highly-performing and interoperable infrastructure, with real support for innovators and startups.”
Negrescu believes that, at the moment, Europe needs a digital industrial strategy to create solutions in Europe.
„Romania can play a strategic role in this endeavour. As I have said in the European Parliament, we cannot accept a two-speed digital Europe. That is why we have proposed at European level the extension of digital networks to include less developed regions, the creation of digital incubators in all regions of Europe. Also, subsidies for access to educational equipment and software. We need a coherent European plan to bridge the digital divide. We do not lack either technology or competence. We need vision, coordination and courage. We can do these things for ourselves, not against anyone. Let’s not just talk about what digital Romania could become and let’s show what we are already doing, because we have many successful examples, especially in the private sector. Let’s move from ambitious plans to functional platforms, from visionary ideas to solutions that bring real value. The digital future cannot build itself; it cannot be a simple coincidence. Romania has the potential to be the digital tiger of Europe with a lot of strength and speed, but we must be confident,” said Negrescu.
ICI Bucharest organises, April 8 – 11, a new edition of Digital Innovation Summit Bucharest (DISB). This year’s event brings together over 200 speakers from more than 30 countries.
Five flagship conferences are scheduled to take place during the summit: the 8th Critical Infrastructure Protection Forum (CIP Forum), the 4th International Conference on Cyber Diplomacy (ICCD), the 20th International Conference on Virtual Learning (ICVL), the 23rd National Conference on Virtual Education (CNIV) and a new addition, the 1st Blockchain Intelligence Forum. In addition to these events, DISB 2025 will also hold the Annual Assmebly of Eurodefence.
AGERPRES
