Interoperable Europe Board holds first meeting and adopts Guidelines for Interoperability Assessments

Europe’s journey toward seamless cross-border digital services took a significant step forward with the first meeting of the Interoperable Europe Board in Brussels on 5 December 2024.  

This inaugural meeting marked the operational launch of the Interoperable Europe Act, a key initiative to enhance digital collaboration across EU Member States. Comprising senior representatives from the European Commission and all EU Member States, the Board established the governance framework to guide its future work. 

One of the meeting’s key outcomes was the adoption of the Guidelines for Interoperability Assessments; a crucial deliverable for the Act’s main obligation, which will become mandatory for public administrations and EU institutions starting 12 January 2025. These assessments will help to identify barriers and opportunities for cross-border interoperability and facilitate the implementation of digital public services that require cross-border data exchange.  They were created in close collaboration with experts from Member States. 

The guidelines help public bodies to: 

• Determine when an assessment is needed. Using tools like a decision tree, the guidelines help organisations determine whether their requirements impact cross-border interoperability; 

• Carry out assessments effectively. The process includes steps such as defining the scope, involving stakeholders, and using tools like the European Interoperability Framework (EIF); 

• Standardise reporting. Organisations must produce a comprehensive, machine-readable report that outlines the findings of the assessment and makes recommendations.  

An interactive version of the guidelines will be published on the Interoperable Europe Portal with best practice examples and additional resources by 12 January 2025.  The page on the Portal will also be a space to connect with other practitioners. You can access the guidelines in the document at the end of this article. 

The Board also set in motion the development of the Interoperable Europe Agenda, a strategic roadmap that translates the vision for cross-border interoperability cooperation into concrete actions. In parallel, work began on updating the European Interoperability Framework (EIF) to reflect the evolving needs of digital governance. To support this update, a call for expression of interest for an independent expert group will soon be launched to bring together experts from across the EU to provide technical expertise and recommendations. 

These efforts support the EU’s broader digital transformation objectives, including the Digital Decade targets and the achievement of 100% online accessibility for key public services by 2030.  

The Board will reconvene in May 2025 in Warsaw to review progress and define next steps for advancing interoperability across the EU.  

For more insights, do not miss our recent interview with Maria Leek, one of the driving forces behind the negotiation and implementation of the Act, where she explains in detail the purpose and responsibilities of the Interoperable Europe Board.