The results of IDEU Bulgaria — a European crowdsourcing initiative carried out in 2025 that gathered citizen solutions for inclusive digitalisation– clearly show the main barriers to digital transformation are not technological. They are human, institutional, and organisational.
Based on 427 citizen contributions from across the country, the initiative demonstrates that digitalisation delivers real value only when citizens have practical digital skills, public administrations are qualified to support them, and digital public services are designed around real user needs — especially those of elderly people, rural communities, and vulnerable groups.

Across all thematic areas, Bulgarian citizens consistently prioritised skills, usability, local support, and trust, rather than the mere existence of online platforms. The findings reveal persistent gaps in lifelong learning systems, teacher training, and the digital qualifications of public servants, which continue to limit participation in the digital economy and access to public services. These challenges affect citizens and small businesses alike, and weaken confidence in digital governance.

IDEU (Inclusive Digitalisation in the EU) is a European initiative that brings together civil society organisations, experts, and citizens from several EU countries to collect real-life experiences and proposals on how digital transformation affects everyday life. Led by the European Citizen Action Service (ECAS) and Implemented in Bulgaria by ProInfo, the crowdsourcing process is part of a wider European effort to feed citizen-driven evidence into EU and national digital policies, in cooperation with international partners and expert networks working on education, digital policy, and innovation across the EU.

From Citizen Voices to Policy Recommendations in Bulgaria

In response to these clearly articulated citizen priorities, IDEU experts translated the crowdsourced input into concrete, actionable policy recommendations covering the period 2026–2030:

Read the full list of policy recommendations

These recommendations are now being prepared for policy dialogue and follow-up in Bulgaria, including engagement with ministries, municipalities, and EU-level stakeholders, with the aim of integrating them into national strategies, operational programmes, and future funding instruments.

Record-High Citizen Participation Led by ProInfo

As with the first crowdsourcing initiative in Bulgaria, CODE Europe, ProInfo ensured the highest level of citizen participation among all countries participating in the crowdsourcing process. Through a combination of targeted outreach, local partnerships, and both online and offline engagement formats, ProInfo successfully reached groups that are often underrepresented in digital policy debates — including elderly citizens, residents of small settlements, and people with low digital skills.

This inclusive approach ensured that the Bulgarian contribution to IDEU reflects real everyday experiences, not only expert or institutional perspectives, and provides a robust evidence base for policy design.

Bulgaria’s Role in the Wider EU Digital Policy Context

IDEU (Inclusive Digitalisation in the EU) aims at strengthening citizen participation in shaping digital policies aligned with the EU Digital Decade objectives. By contributing a strong, citizen-driven policy framework, Bulgaria’s IDEU results offer valuable insights for EU-level discussions on digital skills, public services, social inclusion, and innovation. ProInfo also contributes to the crowdsourcing process by sharing its leading digital marketing know-how with partners across the EU, helping engage more and more citizens Europe-wide in the search for the best solutions.

ProInfo Foundation will continue to work with national and European partners to ensure that the IDEU recommendations contribute to practical policy change, stronger citizen participation, and more effective digital transformation across Bulgaria and the EU.

Who’s involved?

IDEU is a partnership of seven civil society organizations from across Europe, led by the European Citizen Action Service (ECAS). Our partners include also:

• ODRAZ (Croatia)
• Democracy International (Germany)
• Science For You – SciFY (Greece)
• Romanian Center for European Policies (Romania)
• Fundación Cibervoluntarios (Spain)  

What’s the goal?

Our goal is to raise awareness about digital transformation policies and create a stronger community of stakeholders – including citizens, civil society organizations, policymakers, academics, and the media – to drive digital and political innovation in the EU. Ultimately, we want to create a more inclusive digital future for everyone.