UK signs up to expression of principles to support existing action plan for interoperability of public services
The UK has joined the rest of the EU and the European Free Trade Area states in signing a new eGovernment Declaration aimed at supporting cross-border public services for businesses over the next few years.
The agreement was announced at a meeting with the eGovernment Ministerial Conference in Tallin, Estonia today, and according to the official statement marks a new political commitment on significant priorities in digital services for citizens and businesses.
The declaration effectively moves the plans forward from those agreed at the Malmo Declaration of 2009, and reflects the priorities of the eGovernment Action Plan 2016-20.
While the UK is on course to leave the EU by May 2019, it has been going along with plans for the interoperability of digital public services, indicating that the Government acknowledges the long term advantages of interoperability with other European countries.
The member states reaffirmed their commitment to progress in linking up public e-services and implement the eIDAS regulation – on electronic identification of trust services for online transactions – and the once-only principle for the provision of relevant information
They also said the new declaration provides an important impetus for them and the European Commission to continue to invest in speeding up the modernisation of the public sector.
It outlines the general plan for progress towards the various principles of the action plan, including digital-by-default, inclusiveness and accessibility; ‘once only’; trustworthiness and security; openness and transparency; and interoperability by default.
Image modified from MPD01605, CC BY-SA 2.0 through flickr
