The second parallel session took a look at the development of eGovernment services and also focused on the development of the European Interoperability framework and its future direction.
Under the IDABC programme there have been three several Projects of Common Interest (PCI) involving crossborder electronic services. Three cases were presented at the conference:
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The consumer protection system CPCS which exchanges information on rogue traders;
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EESSI which focuses on the electronic exchange of social security information (replacing 10 million forms);
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The Internal Market Information system (IMI) for the implementation of Single Market legislation.
Chair of the parallel session, Karl Marten Karlsson of the Strategic Development Office of VERVA, the Swedish Administrative Development Agency, highlighted the valuable lessons that have been learned through the IDABC programme about the development of eGovernment services at EU level.
'What we have learned is that ICT is now an integral component in the implementation of EU legislation. The issue of reusability is also very important and we can and must learn from each other and not reinvent wheels. We should use existing solutions where possible'.
The future challenges, Gavino Murgia of IDABC pointed out, lie in giving appropriate support to the implementation of Community policies. Careful analysis of the ICT implications at the impact assessment phase is required before legislation is adopted. During the phasing-in stage guidance is required on how to achieve interoperability. This should be supported by exchange of good practices. After legislation enters into force, operational infrastructure services must be provided and we must ensure ICT governance.
Services Directive
The implementation of the Services Directive was highlighted as a case in point where the ICT aspects should have been developed sooner. The Directive’s three year implementation period ends in December 2009 and involves a complex series of actions by Member States including the creation of points of single contact – the one-stop shop to centralise cross border information and services for users.
All Member States are currently trying to implement the Directive and are battling with electronic barriers. The particular stumbling block challenge is article 8 of the Directive which relates to electronic processes for completing formalities and procedures. There is also an obligation to promote administrative simplification (art 5) and not impose further barriers for other EU citizens.
The preliminary results on a stocktaking study on the implementation of Article 8 shows that there has been a low take-up of electronic means in Member States. There are still a number of remaining issues concerning interoperability and there are indeed at lot of elements that have to be put in place before we can use electronic means. The process needs to be started early. It is by no means a simple task.
There was in-depth discussion in this parallel session on the future shape of the European Interoperability Framework (EIF) - the guide to Member States for the delivery of cross-border, cross-sector public eServices. The EIF was first issued in 2004 and is currently being revised. Discussions on the final form of the new EIF are ongoing with Member States. Interoperability is clearly needed between EIF and the different NIF’s National Interoperability Frameworks (NIF) and the launch of an NIF Observatory is proposed with the aim of improving awareness on NIF’s, speeding up their establishment of NIFs and avoiding barriers between EIF and NIF’s, IDABC’s Serge Novaretti explained.
The new EIF, it is recognised, will facilitate interoperability which will in turn facilitate the cross-border and cross-sector delivery of public services. The publication of a new version is anticipated before summer 2008.
Article published in Synergy 10 - Special Edition
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