What is the problem? Not enough cross-border public services are available

Online public services are crucial to stimulate the internal market. They can help entrepreneurs set up and run a business anywhere in Europe independently of their original location, and allow citizens to study, work, reside and retire anywhere in the EU through seamless, interoperable and sustainable cross-border public services. But as long as there is no common list of a minimum set of basic online public services that citizens and businesses can access across borders, the internal market can not be fully functional.

Why is EU action necessary? Services need to be interoperable EU-wide

Together with the Member States, the Commission will assess the real needs, costs-benefits and barriers for cross-border services where interoperability is a key factor.

On this basis the Member States will discuss and agree on a common list of key cross-border public services.

What will the Commission do?

In 2011

• Following the adoption in 2010 of the eGovernment Action Plan 2011-2015, the Commission will launch a study to analyse the existing and future needs and cost benefit of cross-border services for citizens and businesses and assess the organisational, legal, technical and semantic barriers, together with the Member States.
• Member States will agree on a number of key cross-border public services to be rolled out between 2012 and 2015.

Contact:

mechthild.rohen@ec.europa.eu