This paper is conceptual in nature: in it, we seek to identify the current trends of State transformation, combine them with the changes in the new information and communication technologies, and extrapolate this combination into the near future. More precisely, the goal of the paper is to analyse how the New Information and Communication Technologies shape the newly emerging governance mechanisms at local, regional, national, European, and global levels. It furthermore aims at developing a

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... eptual model in order to understand the evolution towards e-governance, as well as assessing its positive and negative implications for the State and the society at large. Finally, it compares our model with the currently existing definitions and conceptualisations of e-governance and e-government.