80810 World Bank Updates  APRIL 2013 ISSUE   Romania Modernizes Revenue Administration. The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved the EUR70 million Revenue Administration Modernization project for Romania, on April 26, 2013. Through this project, the World Bank is partnering with the country to increase effectiveness and efficiency in the collection of taxes and social contributions; increase tax compliance; and reduce the administrative burden on taxpayers to comply with their responsibilities under the tax laws. The National Agency for Fiscal Administration will manage the implementation of the project. Read the full press release.  NEWS IN ROMANIA Boosting Regional Innovation . World Bank, through the Reimbursable Advisory Services Project for Smart Specialization, led by the Private and Financial Sector Development Unit, assists the West Region in their efforts to promote innovation in the region. The Innovation International Fair organized by ARD Vest, on April 3-4, at Expo Arad International, is one of such efforts where the Bank was present and facilitated the discussions. “InnoMatch�, the first edition of the fair, exposed 97 innovative products at 47 racks for more than 650 participants and showcased demonstrations of best practices. Those who visited the fair were able to see the 3D printers and 3D printed products, smart irrigation systems based on solar energy, self-sustainable greenhouse models, pasteurized liquid eggs, proposals for lowering housing heating costs by using solar energy and software solutions to improve the quality of life. The most innovative solutions and products have been awarded. The conference held at the fair was attended by over 300 persons - both in plenary and in thematic panels. The topics covered - regional development, smart specialization, information and communication technology, automotive industry, financing of innovation and intellectual property clusters, renewable energy and energy efficiency – as well as the speakers at the conference had a significant impact on participants. The Regional Innovation Fair "Innomatch" was organized within the "InnoBoost - Increase cooperation and innovation-based competitiveness of firms in the border region" project, developed within the Hungary - Romania 2007-2013 Transboundary Cooperation Program. NEWS FROM THE WORLD BANK DID YOU KNOW ABOUT...? World Bank/IMF Spring Meetings 2013: ... The Open Knowledge Repository file:///M|/idu/IDU%20team/Zach/Romania%20NEWS%20OUO-8/Romania_External_Newsletter_April%202013.htm[8/30/2013 3:19:34 PM] World Bank Updates Development Committee Communiqué The Annual Development Committee took place in Washington DC April 20, 2013. In brief, the governors endorsed the goals advanced by President Kim to end extreme poverty in a generation and promote shared prosperity in all countries. A Bank Group strategy, due at Annual Meetings, should maximize impact, be more selective, and ensure financial sustainability. Launched in April 2012, the Open Knowledge Efforts to support countries in reaching the Repository (OKR) is the online home of the Bank MDGs must be scaled up, said governors, who Group’s research outputs and knowledge also called for a robust IDA replenishment. Readproducts and the centerpiece of the institution’s the full communique. new Open Access Policy. By extending and improving access to our knowledge, the Bank Historic Goals to End Extreme Poverty Group aims to encourage innovation and allow Endorsed by World Bank Governors anyone in the world to turn our research into The Development Committee on April 20 solutions to development problems. This is made endorsed the World Bank Group’s goal to end even more promising because of the new extreme poverty within a generation as copyright policy applied to much of the OKR “ambitious�, saying that this endeavor by the content—the Creative Commons’ Attribution (CC Bank was a “historic opportunity� to make a BY) License—that allows anyone to use, reuse, difference. The Committee equally confirmed the and build upon Bank research as long as Group’s vision to promote shared prosperity and attribution is given. In one year, there have been added these goals must be achieved without more than one million downloads of the more jeopardizing the environment, magnifying than 10,000 Bank Group publications currently economic debt or excluding vulnerable people. available. And after only a few months in World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, who existence, the OKR was ranked number 158 in a pushed this twin-pronged approach in his speech listing of 1,500 world repositories based on size, two weeks ago, welcomed the Committee’s visibility, the number of file types/publications, support. Read the press release. and the total number of publications on Google Scholar. Visit the Open Knowledge Repository.                                                   file:///M|/idu/IDU%20team/Zach/Romania%20NEWS%20OUO-8/Romania_External_Newsletter_April%202013.htm[8/30/2013 3:19:34 PM] World Bank Updates                                           For more information, please visit: www.worldbank.org.ro You are receiving this e-mail because you are a valued contact or partner of the World Bank Romania Country Office. If you do not want to receive similar communication in the future, send an e-mail to bgabor@worldbank.org file:///M|/idu/IDU%20team/Zach/Romania%20NEWS%20OUO-8/Romania_External_Newsletter_April%202013.htm[8/30/2013 3:19:34 PM]