The Commission programme which is today known as the IDABC started in a very modest way in 1995 as a project for the interchange of data between administrations - IDA - and was limited to projects in the field of telematic interchange of data between administrations with a view to facilitating cooperation between them.
The launch of the second phase, IDA II, saw a change of focus in the direction of creating community projects to link together systems in the European Commission with those in Member States. The overriding aim was to establish operational, interoperable trans-European telematic networks between the national administrations. This phase also saw the introduction of horizontal actions and measures. Priority was also given to ensuring that the benefits of the networks are enjoyed by industry and citizens as well.
With the introduction of IDABC, the strategic concept was further broadened. Its role became to identify, support and promote the development and establishment of pan-European eGovernment services.
The foundation stones of this strategy was the development of the underlying interoperable telematic networks across Europe. The instruments for achieving this waswere a series of projects of common interest (PCIs) –, that is projects providing ICT support to the implementation of EU legislation –, and horizontal measures (HMs) relating to horizontal pan-European eGovernment services, infrastructure services, the dissemination spread of good practices, etc.
Results to date
Addressing the eGovernment Services Conference, Karel De Vriendt, Head of the IDABC Unit in the European Commission, highlighted the number of substantial achievements of the IDABC programme, referring both to a series of projects that have been successfully implemented and to those currently in development.
He cited the Commission’s "Your Europe" portal which offers a unique services to business and citizens, providing a range of information, country by country, on the requirements for working, studying, and setting up a company in another EU country. All information for this service is collected via Member States and translated into major languages, with links to other relevant Internet portals.
IDABC has also helped develop the "IPM - Interactive Policy Making" portal. This site permits online interactive consultation on policy and impact analysis of new legislation. It has proven to be a rapid and effective mechanism for harvesting the views of stakeholders and citizens on a wide range of issues. With the launch of major initiatives, such as the Services Directive, its importance is growing as a tool for the impact analysis of new legislation.
Other successful project implementations include PLOTEUS, a European portal on learning opportunities after normal studies and Health EU, a portal on health-related activities at the EU and national levels.
An important Internal Market Information system (IMI) is under development and will go live in 2008.
Other examples of projects include:
-
AMIS-QUOTA – management of tariff quotas (agriculture);
-
CAP-IDIM – monitoring of the implementation of rural development programmes;
-
R&TTE 1-SN – notification on radio/telecoms equipment (mutual recognition);
-
CPCS – exchange of information on actions against rogue traders (consumer protections);
-
TRACES – computerisation of veterinary importation procedures.
Back Office interconnections
In many sectors important work is underway in devising appropriate methods for interconnecting Member States’ back-office systems. Key work has been undertaken in the development of infrastructures services and re-usable components:
-
The s-TESTA network (a secure virtual private network connecting all national administrative networks and the EU iInstitutions) is used in areas covering energy and transport, environment, health and consumer protection, trade, fisheries, justice and security;
-
PKI services: for pan-European eGovernment projects, providing certificates to closed user groups;
-
CIRCABC: used by the Commission (comitology) and by more than 50 other administrations. to support collaboration between the Member States and the EU Institutions.
Final two years
With still two years to go under the present programme, there are still some 15 Projects of Common Interest and 20 Horizontal Measures under way. Important pilot projects are currently in progress on collaboration and re-use in the areas of semantic interoperability and open source (see SEMIC.eu on page 12).
Further actions are planned in the area of electronic signatures, in line with the Commission’s action plan announced in the ‘Single Market Review’ ofin November 2007.
Developing cooperation
'And the key to this work', Karel De Vriendt stressed , 'is the development of a range of expert groups of national specialists who bring their skills and experience to the European table. They cover areas such as interoperability, networks, security, eIdentity, eSignature, semantic interoperability, open source, etc'.
In order to support these networks IDABC has developed, in collaboration jointly with the DG Information Society and Media Directorate General, the ePractice web portal as a leading-edge information and networking tool for all those working in this area. Other key areas of work in progress are the European Interoperability Framework and the promotion of open document exchange formats.
'There is still a lot of more to do but interim evaluations so far are very positive and point to the high relevance of IDABC’s work programme', Karel De Vriendt concluded... 'At the end of the day we are aiming to create an eGovernment ecosystem. Through IDABC we are providing tools, services and guidelines and a common framework to make this possible'.
Article published in Synergy 10 - Special Edition
|
Print
