It s a framework undertaken by the European Commission in 2017 that gives specific guidance on how to set up interoperable digital public services.
- Watch this video to understand what the European Interoperability Framework is, in 3 minutes.
- Access the European Interoperability Framework in pdf format.
As all EU countries are currently digitising their public administrations, the EIF offers 47 recommendations on how to improve the governance of their interoperability activities, establish cross-organisational relationships, streamline processes supporting end-to-end digital services, and ensure that both existing and new legislation do not compromise interoperability efforts. This will ensure that services are accessible, not only within their national borders, but also across countries and policy areas. In other words, they will apply interoperability in practice. This way, public administrations can to save time, reduce costs, increase transparency, and improve the quality of services that they offer to citizens and businesses.
The European Interoperability Framework was undertaken by the European Commission in 2017 and it gives specific guidance on how to set up interoperable digital public services. The EIF is addressed to all those involved in defining, designing, developing and delivering European public services. It has three main pillars:
- 1 conceptual model for public services covers the design, planning, development, operation and maintenance of integrated public services at all governmental levels from local to EU level.
- 4 levels of interoperability (legal, organisational, semantic and technical), 1 cross-cutting component of the four layers (integrated public service governance) and 1 background layer (interoperability governance). The layers organise the different interoperability aspects to be addressed when designing European public services;
- 12 underlying principles set out here guide decision-making on establishing interoperable European public services.
Moreover, for each of these pillars (the conceptual model, the layers of interoperability and the principles), the EIF offers practical tools in the form of a set of 47 actionable recommendations.
Explore each EIF pillar
Access each of the three pillars and discover EIF related recommendations, linked European legal initiatives and best practices carried out at Member States and EU level
Conceptual model
For integrated public services provision
Levels of interoperability
Including legal, semantic, technical, etc.
Underlying principles
Including openess, reusability, etc.