At this halfway point in the IDABC programme, the "IDABC and beyond" conference has been an ideal moment to take stock of what we have achieved so far and what we need to do to meet the challenges ahead.
The contribution of the Slovenian Presidency of the EU in organising this conference in the magnificent Brdo conference centre has been immense. We thank in particular the Minister of Public Administration, Dr. Gregor Virant, for his personal contribution to the conference and the insights he has given us. Slovenia’s position as an innovative leader in the area of eGovernment services and as a role model for other countries cannot be understated.
The conference was organised with the aim of exchanging knowledge, ideas and future plans about eGovernment between policy-makers and high-level IT experts in public administration, universities and industry. It brought together more than 300 participants.
In the following pages of Synergy you will get a feel for the key discussions and main messages already emerging at this halfway stage in the IDABC programme. Further discussions will be taking place in the appropriate fora on translating these conclusions into concrete actions.
For my own part, I feel that the work already undertaken by IDABC has been very well appreciated. Some countries even regard IDABC as a "trademark" and an important factor in stimulating progress at national level.
We are now living in a networked world where interoperability is the key to many things. In this new environment, the legislative initiatives developed in Brussels must take into account the full ICT impact of their implementation.
Governments want to cut red tape for citizens and business. This means more cooperation between administrations at various levels – local, national and European. ICT must ensure interoperability at all these levels. Decision-makers must be able to see the challenges, and ICT developers must know which interfaces to foresee and understand what changes can be accommodated. Critically we must avoid creating new electronic barriers.
IDABC is clearly one of the important instruments which can respond to the eGovernment needs of the EU and the Member States. eGovernment is not, however, just about technology. It is about leadership, organisation and service provision. Cross-border interoperability has to be organised. Strategic leadership has to be provided.
We need interoperability strategies that clearly indicate how to go from policy to implementation. Guidance must be given.
And it clearly makes sense to share infrastructure, particularly at the European level. The benefits are potentially enormous.
We should not forget that the second half of the IDABC programme still has to be completed. We will be giving our full commitment to this.
Editorial published in Synergy 10 - Special Edition |
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