The Interoperable Europe Act, which enters into force, will facilitate cross-border data exchange and accelerate the digital transformation of the public sector. The Act is essential to reaching the objectives of the EU’s Digital Decade, such as having 100% of key public services available online by 2030.
Interoperability is a core feature of a functioning Digital Single Market and contributes to a more effective implementation of digital features of public policies, from justice to health to transport.
Citizens, businesses, and public administrations will benefit most from the new regulation when using interconnected digital public services that require a cross-border exchange of data. Examples of such services include mutual recognition of academic diplomas or professional qualifications, exchanges of vehicle data for road safety, access to social security and health data, the exchange of information related to taxation, customs, public tender accreditation, digital driving licenses, and commercial registers. According to the impact assessment, the Act is expected to save up to €5 billion every year.
The Act will be implemented through a set of key measures:
- The setup of a multi-level cooperation framework brings together Member States’ most senior digital government practitioners, as well as a broad community of civil society, experts, academics, and local actors, to define a common interoperability agenda and an evolving ecosystem of common interoperability solutions. This framework will be steered by the Interoperable Europe Board and supported by the Interoperable Europe Community.
- The introduction of mandatory interoperability assessments to build “interoperable-by-design” public services. This will help public sector bodies to explore and, where appropriate, address cross-border interoperability aspects already at the design phase of new services or tools. The Commission will provide the necessary guidelines and support.
- The ‘Interoperable Europe Portal’, is a one-stop-shop to encourage the sharing and reuse of high-quality and reliable interoperability solutions among public administrations.
- Strengthened innovation and policy support mechanisms, including training, regulatory sandboxes for policy experimentation, public-private GovTech, and policy implementation support projects, to develop, test, and scale up solutions.
The regulation applies to public sector bodies, including EU Institutions and bodies. The implementation of the interoperable Europe Act will be funded through the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL).
