An “e-delivery in Cyprus” project, co-funded by the European Union, has been underway since September aiming to deliver the safe, secure and trusted electronic transfer and delivery of information and digital documents between public services, EU institutions and government departments and citizens.

Addressing a press conference on the matter, Transport, Communications and Works Minister Marios Demetriades said it is “a landmark project in the government effort to adopt and implement e-government in its processes.”

The aim of the project, he said, is to improve public services, digitalise, simplify and speed up processes through making the most of information and communication technologies in public management.

Referring to e-government in general, Demetriades acknowledged that due to the economic crisis Cyprus has lagged behind particularly in certain categories compared to the EU, but pointed out that a huge effort is under way in recent years and that there are projects underway with government funding of about €220 million which will change things for the better.

On his part, Andreas Gregoriou, Cyprus Post Office’s Director, said that the project started in September, has a total budget of €334,000 and is expected to be completed in the autumn of 2019.

It is a project which is co-funded by the EU in the context of the programme “Connecting Europe Facility.”

He also said that the Cyprus Post Office is now in a position to receive and issue e-invoices, an obligation which EU member states have to implement from 2019 onward.

Gregoriou said that the post office aspires to offer all adult citizens an electronic post box where they will be able to receive all documents from government departments and other organisations of their choice, as well as other added value services.

Apart from the Post Office, which acts as project coordinator, the project’s partners are the Information Services Department, RTD TALOS, AC Goldman Solutions & Services and BOOMERTEL.