EU takes a significant step towards interoperability with the Interoperable Europe Act, says DIGIT Director-General at ENDORSE

"Interoperability is key to unlocking the full potential of the European Single Market in the digital age," said Veronica Gaffey, Director-General of DIGIT, European Commission, during her speech at the ENDORSE conference, which she opened together with Hilde Hardeman, Director-General of the Publications Office of the European Union. "That's why we are proud to announce the Interoperable Europe Act, a new proposal for a regulation that will promote the development of digital public services that are interoperable-by-design."

The Act aims to reinforce public sector interoperability in the EU by addressing legal, organisational, technical, and semantical barriers. Specifically, it will encourage the development of harmonised standards for data exchange and facilitate cross-border, cross-sector interoperability in Europe. Gaffey emphasised the importance of semantic interoperability, which she described as a "form of data diplomacy" that negotiates consensus between stakeholders.

The Interoperable Europe Act is an important addition to the suite of legislations strengthening the European Single Market, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Gaffey urged attendees of the ENDORSE conference to support the Act's implementation and continue their work towards achieving interoperability in Europe.

Commissioner for Budget and Administration Johannes Hahn also highlighted the importance of public sector interoperability in his speech at the conference. He noted that the public sector has a particularly important role to play in driving innovation and leading the way towards inclusive, open, and sustainable digital transformation. Hahn emphasised the need for interoperability, which he described as a core success factor in this transformation journey.

Watch the full speech of Veronica Gaffey and Hilde Hardeman on our Youtube channel!

#ENDORSE2023, the European Data Conference on Reference Data and Semantics, is organised by the Publications Office of the European Union in collaboration with Interoperable Europe – the initiative of the European Commission for a reinforced public sector interoperability policy.