Levels of interoperability

• Recommendation 27. Ensure that legislation is screened by means of ‘interoperability checks’, to identify any barriers to interoperability. When drafting legislation to establish a European public service, seek to make it consistent with relevant legislation, perform a ‘digital check’ and consider data protection requirements.

• INSPIRE DIRECTIVE: It lays down general rules setting up an infrastructure for spatial information in Europe for the purposes of European Union (EU) environmental policies and for policies or activities which may have an impact on the environment.
• eIDAS Regulation: The Electronic Identification and Trust Services (eIDAS) Regulation creates a new system for secure electronic interactions across the EU between businesses, citizens and public authorities.Related links: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2015/296 - eIDAS Regulation, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1501 - eIDAS Regulation.

• Recommendation 28. Document your business processes using commonly accepted modelling techniques and agree on how these processes should be aligned to deliver a European public service.
• Recommendation 29. Clarify and formalise your organisational relationships for establishing and operating European public services

• European Directive on patients’ rights: It sets out the conditions under which a patient may travel to another EU country to receive safe and high-quality medical care and have the cost reimbursed by their own health insurance scheme.
• NIS Directive: It proposes a wide-ranging set of measures to boost the level of security of network and information systems (cybersecurity) to secure services vital to the EU economy and society.
• Single Digital Gateway Regulation: It facilitate online access to the information, key administrative procedures and assistance and problem-solving services that citizens and businesses may wish to contact if they encounter problems when exercising their internal market rights while living in or doing business in another EU country.
• Law Enforcement Directive: It aims to better protect individuals’ personal data when their data is being processed by police and criminal justice authorities. It also aims to improve cooperation in the fight against terrorism and cross-border crime in the EU by enabling police and criminal justice authorities in EU countries to exchange information necessary for investigations more efficiently and effectively. 
• Data Governance Act: This Proposal aims at creating a legislative framework for the governance of common European data spaces, by proposing measures to unlock more publicly held data for research; to support voluntary data sharing by citizens; and to set up an EU-level governance structure.
• INSPIRE DIRECTIVE: It lays down general rules setting up an infrastructure for spatial information in Europe for the purposes of European Union (EU) environmental policies and for policies or activities which may have an impact on the environment.
• eIDAS Regulation: The Electronic Identification and Trust Services (eIDAS) Regulation creates a new system for secure electronic interactions across the EU between businesses, citizens and public authorities.Related links: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2015/296 - eIDAS Regulation, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1501 - eIDAS Regulation.

• Recommendation 30. Perceive data and information as a public asset that should be appropriately generated, collected, managed, shared, protected and preserved.
• Recommendation 31. Put in place an information management strategy at the highest possible level to avoid fragmentation and duplication. Management of metadata, master data and reference data should be prioritised.
• Recommendation 32. Support the establishment of sector-specific and cross-sectoral communities that aim to create open information specifications and encourage relevant communities to share their results on national and European platforms.

• Open Data Directive: It promotes the use of open data and establishes public-sector bodies and public undertakings must make their documents available in any pre-existing format or language and, where appropriate, by electronic means in formats that are open, machine readable, accessible, findable and reusable, complete with their metadata.
• INSPIRE DIRECTIVE: It lays down general rules setting up an infrastructure for spatial information in Europe for the purposes of European Union (EU) environmental policies and for policies or activities which may have an impact on the environment.
• General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR): It allows European Union (EU) citizens to better control their personal data. It also modernises and unifies rules allowing businesses to reduce red tape and to benefit from greater consumer trust.
• Web accessibility directive: It aims to make public sector websites and mobile applications more accessible, and to harmonise varying standards within the EU, reducing barriers for developers of accessibility-related products and services.
• eIDAS Regulation: The Electronic Identification and Trust Services (eIDAS) Regulation creates a new system for secure electronic interactions across the EU between businesses, citizens and public authorities.Related links: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2015/296 - eIDAS Regulation, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1501 - eIDAS Regulation.
• Single Digital Gateway Regulation: It facilitate online access to the information, key administrative procedures and assistance and problem-solving services that citizens and businesses may wish to contact if they encounter problems when exercising their internal market rights while living in or doing business in another EU country.
• Regulation on Interoperability in the field of police and judicial cooperation, asylum and migration: It aims to improve checks at the EU’s external borders, allow for better detection of security threats and identity fraud, and help in preventing and combating illegal immigration.
• Regulation on Interoperability in the field of justice, freedom and security: It aims to to improve checks at the EU’s external borders, allow for better detection of security threats and identity fraud, and help in preventing and combating illegal immigration.
• eInvoicing Directive: It calls for the definition of a common European standard on electronic invoicing at the semantic level, and additional standardisation deliverables which will enhance interoperability at the syntax level.

• Recommendation 33. Use open specifications, where available, to ensure technical interoperability when establishing European public services.

• Law Enforcement Directive: It aims to better protect individuals’ personal data when their data is being processed by police and criminal justice authorities. It also aims to improve cooperation in the fight against terrorism and cross-border crime in the EU by enabling police and criminal justice authorities in EU countries to exchange information necessary for investigations more efficiently and effectively. 
• Regulation on Interoperability in the field of justice, freedom and security: It aims to to improve checks at the EU’s external borders, allow for better detection of security threats and identity fraud, and help in preventing and combating illegal immigration.
• Open Data Directive: It promotes the use of open data and establishes public-sector bodies and public undertakings must make their documents available in any pre-existing format or language and, where appropriate, by electronic means in formats that are open, machine readable, accessible, findable and reusable, complete with their metadata.
• INSPIRE DIRECTIVE: It lays down general rules setting up an infrastructure for spatial information in Europe for the purposes of European Union (EU) environmental policies and for policies or activities which may have an impact on the environment.
• eProcurement Directive: It specifies that when national authorities use public procurement to invite tenders to provide works, supplies or services, they must treat all applicants equally and not discriminate between them. They must also be transparent in their dealings.
• eIDAS Regulation: The Electronic Identification and Trust Services (eIDAS) Regulation creates a new system for secure electronic interactions across the EU between businesses, citizens and public authorities.Related links: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2015/296 - eIDAS Regulation, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1501 - eIDAS Regulation.
• Regulation on Interoperability in the field of police and judicial cooperation, asylum and migration: It aims to improve checks at the EU’s external borders, allow for better detection of security threats and identity fraud, and help in preventing and combating illegal immigration.
• Single Digital Gateway Regulation: It facilitate online access to the information, key administrative procedures and assistance and problem-solving services that citizens and businesses may wish to contact if they encounter problems when exercising their internal market rights while living in or doing business in another EU country.

• Recommendation 20. Ensure holistic governance of interoperability activities across administrative levels and sectors.
• Recommendation 21. Put in place processes to select relevant standards and specifications, evaluate them, monitor their implementation, check compliance and test their interoperability.
• Recommendation 22. Use a structured, transparent, objective and common approach to assessing and selecting standards and specifications. Take into account relevant EU recommendations and seek to make the approach consistent across borders.
• Recommendation 23. Consult relevant catalogues of standards, specifications and guidelines at national and EU level, in accordance with your NIF and relevant DIFs, when procuring and developing ICT solutions.
• Recommendation 24. Actively participate in standardisation work relevant to your needs to ensure your requirements are met.

• INSPIRE DIRECTIVE: It lays down general rules setting up an infrastructure for spatial information in Europe for the purposes of European Union (EU) environmental policies and for policies or activities which may have an impact on the environment.
• Web accessibility directive: It aims to make public sector websites and mobile applications more accessible, and to harmonise varying standards within the EU, reducing barriers for developers of accessibility-related products and services.
• eIDAS Regulation: The Electronic Identification and Trust Services (eIDAS) Regulation creates a new system for secure electronic interactions across the EU between businesses, citizens and public authorities.Related links: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2015/296 - eIDAS Regulation, Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1501 - eIDAS Regulation.
• European Directive on patients’ rights: It sets out the conditions under which a patient may travel to another EU country to receive safe and high-quality medical care and have the cost reimbursed by their own health insurance scheme.
• Regulation on Interoperability in the field of police and judicial cooperation, asylum and migration: It aims to improve checks at the EU’s external borders, allow for better detection of security threats and identity fraud, and help in preventing and combating illegal immigration.
• Regulation on Interoperability in the field of justice, freedom and security: It aims to to improve checks at the EU’s external borders, allow for better detection of security threats and identity fraud, and help in preventing and combating illegal immigration.
• NIS Directive: It proposes a wide-ranging set of measures to boost the level of security of network and information systems (cybersecurity) to secure services vital to the EU economy and society.
• European Electronic Communications Code: It establishes a set of updated rules to regulate electronic communications (telecoms) networks, telecoms services, and associated facilities and services; sets out tasks for national regulatory authorities and other competent authorities; and aims to stimulate competition and increased investment in 5G and very high capacity networks.
• eInvoicing Directive: It calls for the definition of a common European standard on electronic invoicing at the semantic level, and additional standardisation deliverables which will enhance interoperability at the syntax level.

The Norwegian Interoperability Framework (NIF): Two main initiatives characterize Norway’s efforts to foster cooperation and coordination among public administrations. 

1. The first one is the revision (in 2019 and 2020) of the architecture principles for public sector digitalization which goal is to foster the public sector’s interoperability and interactions with businesses. The implementation of the architecture principles is mandatory for public administrations at the national level and recommended for those at the sub-national level (e.g. municipalities). 
2. The second initiative is the publication of the Norwegian Interoperability Framework (NIF) in 2018. It is a national transposition of the European Interoperability Framework (EIF) that aims to help public administrations in defining, developing and managing digital public services, including cross-sectorial ones. Norway’s experience highlighted the importance of stakeholder involvement and participation, and thus of collaboration, to improve interoperability.

• Recommendation 25. Ensure interoperability and coordination over time when operating and delivering integrated public services by putting in place the necessary governance structure.
• Recommendation 26. Establish interoperability agreements in all layers, complemented by operational agreements and change management procedures.

• INSPIRE DIRECTIVE: It lays down general rules setting up an infrastructure for spatial information in Europe for the purposes of European Union (EU) environmental policies and for policies or activities which may have an impact on the environment.
• eProcurement Directive: It specifies that when national authorities use public procurement to invite tenders to provide works, supplies or services, they must treat all applicants equally and not discriminate between them. They must also be transparent in their dealings.
• Single Digital Gateway Regulation: It facilitate online access to the information, key administrative procedures and assistance and problem-solving services that citizens and businesses may wish to contact if they encounter problems when exercising their internal market rights while living in or doing business in another EU country.

Integrated Public Service Provision - The central solutions of Hungary

Hungary stands out with regard to its implementation of the security and privacy component of the EIF conceptual model. Two main initiatives are highlighted in this concrete example. These are the centrally provided Municipality ASP service and the Customisable State Administration Portal. They almost function as platforms for interoperable service provision. Both integrate several building blocks in order to ensure a ready-to-use integrated solution for all Hungarian public administrations to make their digital public services available on a single platform, therefore increasing interoperability.