All nine EU candidate countries are making digital and technological reforms to align with the bloc’s strict standards. The European Union requires aspiring members to meet its acquis communautaire, a framework covering laws and regulations, including digitalisation, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
Digital Wallets Drive Modernisation
The EU has urged all member and candidate countries to introduce secure digital wallets by 2026. These allow citizens to store IDs, sign documents, and access online services under GDPR rules. Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Moldova are already trialling versions, while Ukraine, Serbia, and Albania plan launches within two years.
Moldova’s “EVO” platform, backed by EU funding, will host a digital wallet and e-signature tool. North Macedonia’s upcoming “m.Uslugi” app promises a digital inbox and document storage. In Albania, the government-owned Identitek will develop a multifunctional digital ID for citizens.
Cybersecurity in Focus
To comply with the Network and Information Systems directives, candidate states must create national cybersecurity strategies. Ukraine’s cooperation with the EU’s cybersecurity agency, ENISA, has strengthened defences and training. Similar strategies exist in Albania, Montenegro, Turkey, Georgia, Moldova, and North Macedonia, though Turkey’s plan faces criticism for potential surveillance concerns.
AI Rules on the Horizon
The EU’s new AI Act requires oversight, transparency, and national authorities to monitor compliance. Albania, Moldova, Serbia, and Ukraine already have AI strategies, though laws remain pending. Albania has even introduced an AI “minister”, Diella, to oversee government procurement—an innovation sparking both praise and controversy.
Digital alignment, though uneven, is rapidly transforming Europe’s future members.
