Regulation 2024/903 - Measures for a high level of public sector interoperability across the Union (Interoperable Europe Act) - Main contents

Official Journal

of the European Union

EN

Series L

2024/903

22.3.2024

It is necessary to strengthen the development of the cross-border interoperability of network and information systems which are used to provide or manage public services in the Union, in order to allow public administrations in the Union to cooperate and make public services function across borders. The existing informal cooperation should be replaced by a clear legal framework to enable interoperability across different administrative levels and sectors and to facilitate seamless cross-border data flows for truly European digital services that strengthen the internal market while respecting the principle of subsidiarity. Public sector interoperability has an important impact on the right to free movement of goods, persons, services and capital laid down in the Treaties, as burdensome administrative procedures can create significant obstacles, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Cooperation with regard to cross-border interoperability between public sector bodies can address common challenges, in particular in the border regions, and can ensure seamless cross-border data flows.

The Union and Member States have been working for more than two decades to support the modernisation of public administrations through digital transformation and to foster the deep interconnections needed for a truly European digital space. In its communication of 9 March 2021 entitled ‘2030 Digital Compass: the European way for the Digital Decade’, the Commission underlined the need to speed up the digitalisation of public services by 2030, including by ensuring interoperability across all levels of administration and across public services. Moreover, Decision (EU) 2022/2481 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4) sets a clear target of 100 % online accessible provision of key public services by 2030. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic increased the speed of digitalisation, pushing public administrations to adapt to the online paradigm, including for cross-border digital public services, as well as for the smarter and greener use of technologies in accordance with the climate and energy targets set in the European Green Deal and in Regulation (EU) 2021/1119 of the European Parliament and of the Council (5). This Regulation aims to significantly contribute to those Union objectives by creating a structured cooperation framework on cross-border interoperability among Member States and between the Commission and Member States to support the setup of digital public services, helping to reduce costs and save time for citizens, businesses and the public sector.

In the pursuit of enhancing cross-border interoperability in the Union, it is imperative to underscore that interoperability, while of the utmost importance, does not ensure, in isolation, the accessibility and seamlessness of trans-European digital public services. A comprehensive and sustainable ecosystem of digital infrastructures, with adequate financial support, is equally important to achieving the...