Alexandra Balahur is the team leader of SEMIC, the semantic interoperability project and community in the Interoperability and Digital Government Unit of the Commission’s Directorate-General for Digital Services (DG DIGIT). Her primary role involves coordinating efforts in semantic interoperability within her unit and bridging activities with other teams, such as Digital-Ready Policymaking, Open Source, and others. Additionally, she collaborates with other units engaged in data spaces and other Commission Directorates, such as DG GROW and the Publication Office (OP), linking semantic…

A recently released report by former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta offers a visionary outlook on the future of the European Single Market. The document, commissioned by the European Council and the Commission, proposes strategic enhancements aimed at revitalising the market to meet the demands of a larger, more complex global environment. Notably, the report emphasises the critical role of the Interoperable Europe Act in achieving a seamless Digital Single Market.Since its inception over thirty years ago, the Single Market has been fundamental to European economic integration and…

Today, 11 April 2024, the Interoperable Europe Act has officially become part of the EU’s legal order, as well as that of every Member State. From the Island of Madeira to the city of Helsinki, its new provisions, most of which will apply within three months, will mark the beginning of a process whereby public administrations in the EU will fundamentally level-up their public sector interoperability. "I am very pleased to see the Interoperable Europe Act in place, fulfilling the calls for better, interoperable digital public services in the EU, says European Commissioner for Budget and…

Starting from the beginning of 2025, the upcoming Interoperable Europe Act (IEA) introduces mandatory interoperability assessments for the digital public services of European public administrations involving cross-border data exchange. This requirement (set out in Article 3 of the Act) will be applicable for the EU institutions, EU Member States, as well as for public administrations at the regional and local level. In preparation for this, efforts to draft guidelines for these assessments have commenced, with the objective of establishing best practices that maximise benefits while minimising…

The plenary assembly of the European Parliament had its first reading on the Interoperable Europe Act proposal on Monday the 5th and Tuesday the 6th of February. With a very large majority, Parliament overwhelmingly approved the Act. One month later, all 27 EU Member States adopted the deal unanimously in the EU Council.Of the 639 Members of the European Parliament who attended the vote on the Interoperable Europe Act on Tuesday 5 February, 524 MEPs supported the Act, with only 18 voting against it. This outcome was preceded by an agreement on the Act reached in trilogue negotiations between…

Starting from the beginning of 2025, the upcoming Interoperable Europe Act introduces mandatory interoperability assessments for the digital public services of European public administrations involving cross-border data exchange. This requirement (set out in Article 3 of the Act proposal) will be applicable for the EU institutions, EU Member States, as well as for public administrations at the regional and local level. The Interoperability assessments are crucial instruments in order to discover efficient ways towards more cross-border interoperability among European public administrations​…

Claudia Oliveira is a Programme Manager at the European Commission. She joined the Interoperable Europe Unit of DG DIGIT in December 2022 and since then is responsible for the interoperability monitoring mechanism and its transformation in the context of the Interoperable Europe Act and the Digital Decade Policy Programme. Additionally, she contributes to the pre-accession discussions with the Western Balkans and any matter related to international organisations and third countries. Her current position is a continuation of her lifelong professional mission—to be a public servant in the…

As we bid farewell to 2023, it's time to reflect on a year that has been nothing short of transformative for the landscape of public sector interoperability within the European Union. This year stands as a testament to the incredible strides made in fostering a digitally connected and efficient Europe. It's a narrative of overcoming challenges, embracing innovation, and cultivating a collaborative spirit that has driven the European Commission's Interoperability team.In this review, we're not just chronicling achievements; we're celebrating a journey of relentless pursuit towards a vision of…