Scope:

European Interoperability Framework

Evaluation findings:

The evaluation showed that the voluntary take-up of the European Interoperability Framework (EIF) and its recommendations have brought benefits that are recognised by public administrations, but more needs to be done to build a truly cohesive approach across the EU. The evaluation suggests more guidance may be needed in the implementation of the EIF and making the recommendations more actionable. For the layered interoperability, further improvements could be made with implementing the recommendations on the levels of interoperability governance, organisational and legal interoperability. A key takeaway from the consultation activities is the need to put more emphasis on the non-technical layers of interoperability, recognising that interoperability is a complex concept, not restricted to technical issues.

Central governments, regions, cities and the GovTech sector have all called on to ensure EU level cooperation and provide a more consolidated reusable digital infrastructure with common standards and digital building blocks, and a coherent European framework for secure, interoperable and trustworthy data-sharing.

Findings from the European Committee of the Regions' network of Regional Hubs indicate that local and regional authorities face different challenges when aligning their information systems and achieving their interoperability at local, national and inter-regional level. These range from the fragmentation of available technical solutions and interoperability products to a differentiated approach of national governments towards subnational entities regarding interoperability standards and procedures to involve them in decision-making process, often incoherent training and a retrospective incompatibility of interoperability products. The current EIF is also considered as insufficiently specific and providing mere recommendations instead of compulsory solutions.

Estimated savings and benefits

Most of the EIF’s benefits stem from two factors:

1. Affirming the importance of administrative simplicity. By streamlining and simplifying the digital delivery of public services, EIF implementation costs were negligible in comparison to the cost savings associated with interactions between public administrations, and between administrations and their constituents.

2. Interoperability has resulted in cost savings associated with various ICT projects. Notably, public administrations were able to rethink and adapt their project ideas, resulting in further savings, by depending on the sharing and reuse of existing digital solutions and shared government services.

The deployment of national interoperability frameworks (NIFs) inspired by the EIF clearly also resulted in various benefits:

1. The EIF facilitates synergies in the implementation and design of new services, contributing to the reuse of a diverse range of software programmes.

2. Interoperability has resulted in cost savings associated with various ICT projects. Notably, public administrations were able to rethink and adapt their project ideas, resulting in further savings, by depending on the sharing and reuse of existing digital solutions and shared government services.

Quantification of costs for Member States is extremely difficult:

First, the complexity of EIF implementation makes it hard for Member States to estimate the associated costs. Many different authorities and public services are involved and it is difficult to isolate EIF implementation from the overall digital transformation processes. This is also the case for the implementation of EU policies.

Second, the voluntary nature of the framework is reflected in its uneven and ad hoc uptake across the EU, limiting the availability of data and making comparison between countries difficult. Furthermore, implementation of the EIF has not followed the same timeline in the different countries.

Third, the costs and benefits also depend Member States’ levels of digitalisation, the degree of centralisation and varying organisational structures involved in delivering public services. The costs related to interoperability initiatives are borne at different levels of administration in different countries.

Considering the above caveats, the evaluation found that the EIF implementation may range from EUR 24 000 to EUR 169 000. This is based on the estimates of time translated into costs provided by representatives of several public authorities in the Member States.

The impacts of a public sector interoperability policy are difficult to identify due to its very nature as an enabling factor across many policy fields. Interoperability in its many forms is an important enabler but it is interoperable policies and public services that deliver benefits (and consume resources). A 2022 study by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) quantifies the benefits of improved public sector interoperability to citizens, businesses and public administrations, going beyond cross-border aspects. It shows, for example, that individuals could save up to 24 million hours, and businesses could save up to 30 billion hours a year.

Which objective(s) does the Commission pursue?

The general objective of the initiative is to strengthen cross-border interoperability and cooperation in the public sector across the EU. The Act aims to support the creation of a network of sovereign and interconnected digital public administrations and will accelerate the digital transformation of Europe's public sector. It will help the EU and its Member States to deliver better public services to citizens and businesses, and as such, it is an essential step to achieve Europe's digital targets for 2030 and support trusted data flows. The specific objectives of this initiative are:

• to ensure a consistent, human-centric EU approach to interoperability from policymaking to policy implementation;

• to establish an interoperability governance structure designed to enable public administrations from all levels and sectors, as well as private stakeholders, to work together – with a clear mandate to agree on shared interoperability solutions (e.g. frameworks, open specifications, open standards, applications, or guidelines);

• to co-create an ecosystem of interoperability solutions for the EU’s public sector, so that public administrations at all levels in the EU and other stakeholders can contribute to and re-use such solutions, innovate together and create public value.

Estimated savings and benefits

The policy measures address the objectives of simplification and a reduced administrative burden, in line with the Commission’s regulatory fitness and performance programme (REFIT). The purpose of this initiative is to reduce administrative burden not only in the policy field but also across sectors and administrative levels. Through enhanced interoperability, it aims to reduce administrative and compliance costs for public administrations. Members of the public will benefit from the reduced administrative burden, and they will be able to fully rely on digital public services and the facility to securely exchange data with the same legal value cross border. Businesses – especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) – will also benefit from savings in compliance costs.

The estimated annual cost-savings credited to cross-border interoperability range between EUR 5.5 and EUR 6.3 million for citizens and between EUR 5.7 and EUR 19.2 billion for businesses.