What is the problem? Interoperability as a foundation for better eGovernment services

Interoperability fosters the delivery of cross-border public services and is an important pre-condition for the open, flexible delivery of eGovernment services to citizens and business.

When establishing national eGovernment services, there is a risk that Member States opt for incompatible solutions and that new electronic barriers emerge.

Why the EU action is required? To align Member States with European frameworks

Member States have declared in the Malmö and Granada Declarations that they will work to align their national interoperability frameworks with applicable European frameworks and develop more effective and efficient interoperable public services.

What will the Commission do?

By the end of 2010:

• Adopt the Communication on the European Interoperability Framework and European Interoperability Strategy
• Launch a study under the ISA (Interoperability Solutions for European Public Administrations) programme, exploring the need for a European interoperability architecture, facilitating the establishment of cross-border and cross-sector European Public Services
• Set up the National Interoperability Frameworks Observatory (NIFO), to carry out a comparative analysis of National Interoperability Frameworks (NIFs), propose recommendations addressing potential incompatibility of NIFs and raise awareness about the NIFs

By the end of 2011:

• The Commission will support the Member States in reaching commonly agreed targets by facilitating the exchange of experiences, including on sharing or re-using applications
• Launch an innovation pilot in order to support the deployment of IPv6 by public authorities through integration of IPv6 into eGovernment services

Contact:

mechthild.rohen@ec.europa.eu