European project in Ukraine that has strengthened the country’s digital transformation comes to an end

Kyiv hosted the closing ceremony of the European project EU4DigitalUA, which has been working in Ukraine for five years on institutional strengthening and capacity building, communication and public awareness, and data protection. FIAP has successfully completed these three key components of the project and, together with the e-Governance Academy, has cooperated with Ukrainian institutions to strengthen Ukraine’s digital institutions, promote professional skills, raise public awareness of digital reforms and harmonise data protection with European Union standards.

The project’s results and achievements were discussed at the conference “EU4DigitalUA: 5 years of digital change”, which took place on Thursday 30 October and brought together key partners, stakeholders and representatives of the European Union and the Ukrainian Government to reflect on the lessons learned and the project’s contribution to Ukraine’s digital future.

“We continue to build the most convenient digital state in the world. This is possible thanks to our partners, because the strongest results are born through cooperation. With the support of the European Union, within the framework of the EU4DigitalUA project and together with FIAP, we have implemented dozens of initiatives that have made public services faster and more convenient for millions of Ukrainians — from IT studios on the Diia.Osvita platform to the development of 5G. I am grateful to our partners for their consistent support of digital solutions that improve people’s lives every day,” said Mykhailo Fedorov, First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine — Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine.

“The European Union is proud to be a long-term partner of Ukraine’s digital transformation. Through EU4DigitalUA, we have strengthened public institutions, enhanced citizens’ digital skills, and increased trust in e-governance — all essential for building an open and secure digital state. Ukraine’s achievements demonstrate the power of partnership and how shared European values and standards can deliver tangible benefits for citizens,” said Asier Santillán Luzuriaga, Head of Section for European Integration, Governance, Rule of Law and Civil Society of the EU Delegation to Ukraine.

Ukraine’s digital integration with the European Union

Through close cooperation with the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, EU4DigitalUA advanced Ukraine’s digital integration with the EU, helping align national legislation with European standards and contributing to the country’s participation in the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI).

The project supported strategic reforms, including:

-The launch of the Unified National Informatization System (NPI) to coordinate all national digital projects;

-The development of the ePermit electronic permit system, already used by 25 thousand businesses, and the introduction of Ukraine’s first AI-powered state service for automatic document verification;

-The release of the 700 MHz radio frequency band, paving the way for 5G development;

-The development of the National Semiconductor Strategy and Chips Act UA 

Ukraine-Spain exchange on digital governance and data protection

Capacity development was a cornerstone of EU4DigitalUA work. Ukrainian civil servants were trained in digital governance, data protection, and communication through training sessions, study visits to Spain, and workshops. The project prepared two training courses for CDTO Campus, a national educational initiative to train Chief Digital Transformation Officers (CDTOs), and helped develop the programme “Updated Informatics – IT Studios” as part of Diia.Osvita, which modernises the informatics curriculum in Ukrainian schools.

EU4DigitalUA has played a central role in shaping how Ukraine communicates its digital transformation. The project supported the Ministry of Digital Transformation in strengthening its strategic vision and communication with citizens, using research-based insights to ensure that digital reforms are accessible, transparent, and trusted.

The project supported the implementation of more than 15 national awareness campaigns, promoting key digital services such as Diia.Signature, Diia.Integration, uResidency, and e-Entrepreneur, which collectively reached over 34 million citizens. In addition, EU4DigitalUA contributed to the organisation and promotion of three Diia Summits, flagship events that engaged millions of viewers, encouraged the use of new services, and reinforced public trust in Ukraine’s digital ecosystem.

EU4DigitalUA also supported the first Ukrainian Championship in Technological Sports (CTF), facilitated the participation of Ukraine’s National Cyber Team in the European Cybersecurity Challenge, and together with the SSSCIP co-organised an international cybersecurity conference, contributing to the country’s digital resilience.

“Through EU4DigitalUA project, we have witnessed how digital transformation can strengthen public institutions and bring real benefits to citizens. Together with our Ukrainian partners and the European Union, the project has supported the development of digital skills, secure data systems, and trusted e-services that make public administration more efficient and transparent,” said Miguel Ángel Lombardo, FIAP Coordinator of the EU4DigitalUA project. 

In the field of data protection, FIAP with the public expertise of AEPD, has supported the development and actively promoted the new Personal Data Protection Law, which aligns Ukrainian legislation with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). As part of the project, expert analysis was carried out on 9 legislative acts for compliance with the EU acquis, along with a comparative review of all relevant Ukrainian legislation against 8 key EU laws. Nine practical guidelines were developed, and, in addition, special recommendations on personal data protection under martial law (in 9 parts) were prepared. More than 750 professionals were trained in cooperation with the Ombudsman’s Office.

EU4DigitalUA also supported the preparation of the educational video series for data protection officers on the Diia.Education platform. The course covers the core topics of personal data protection and provides essential knowledge for serving as a Data Protection Officer (DPO) in Ukraine and the EU. It is the most comprehensive free data protection course available to the public both in Ukraine and across the European Union. 

FIAP strengthened international cooperation by working closely with leading Spanish and European institutions — including CNPIC, CCN, AEPD, and INCIBE — and by organising expert missions and study visits focused on cybersecurity, institutional capacity, and data protection.

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