Digitization of government as a global trend of the future: implementation of the “electronic state” policy (on the example of Ukraine)

Digitalization of public services is a global trend throughout the civilized world. Progressive governments of developed countries are actively implementing initiatives that have been given a very young acronym – GovTech. These are the latest digital technology solutions that make the work of the state more efficient and the lives of citizens easier. Implementation of the GovTech policy is a priority for many international projects and programs: Lisbon Council, Digital Europe, European Blockchain Partnership (EBP), International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications (INATBA), DT4UA. The purpose of the article is to form a general vision of the current trend of GovTech policy implementation, using Ukraine as an example for the period of 2020-2023. In order to achieve the goal and formulate reasonable results, the study was structured in three sections: 1) Digitalization of Ukraine: introduction of modern digital technologies; 2) Ukraine’s participation in international digital projects; 3) Sharing Ukraine’s digitalization experience with other countries. The study has led to a number of conclusions. The ideology of GovTech is a two-vector message to humanity about the future: where instead of analog officials and certificates, “PaperLess” will work, and instead of cash currency “CashLess” – CBDC / cryptocurrency in a smartphone. Digital public services in a smartphone, and even a citizen’s passport, are already GovTech realities confirmed by the Ukrainian digital project “DIJA”. Ukraine’s successful experience in forming a GovTech e-state has begun to spread actively in other European Union countries (code name: “DIJA”). This shows a trend towards the development and formation of a precedent for the international GovTech format, in the form of a certain future standard (we are sure that this will be developed and researched). However, this study has shown that there are legal difficulties on the way to creating a precedent for the formation of the international GovTech format in Ukraine. The introduction of the intergovernmental GovTech format requires separate legal regulation and consideration of the issue of a fair balance of bilateral state agreements when it is introduced, which also lack relevant legal developments.