Addressing a European Priority

R4eGov is an Integrated Project, supported by the European Commission under the Sixth Framework Programme for Research and Development. It began in 2006 and will conclude in Spring 2009.

The lack of interoperability has been identified as a major barrier to the wider development of efficient and effective eGovernment across the EU. Core technical issues to be addressed include security, traceability, collaborative workflow models, cross-border accreditation, and standards.

Integrating with User Needs

But as an Integrated Project, R4eGov goes beyond the remit of research in itself, addressing the wider issues for a basic conceptual and technical framework for practical solutions to eGovernment interoperability at scale for Europe. This has to address user requirements and legacy systems, organisational changes, end-user consultation and engagement, and training. To trial proposed solutions, the project will develop software demonstrators informed by specific case studies, but which display features of generic practicality which can be adopted and adapted in a wider European context.

Templates for European Interoperability

Two master cases have been selected as platforms for the design of software designed for the needs of two special areas which also offer solutions at European scale. These are :

        - the collaborative interfaces between the European specialist agencies Europol and Eurojust in order to further advance pan-European law enforcement
        - creating cross-border Interoperability Gateways engaging and informed by the evidence of Austria’s pionnering eGovernment work led by the Austrian Federal Chancellery

Scaleability

User groups from public administrations with a practical cross-border agenda in areas such as fraud prevention, consular work, police, health and social services will be consulted on these software pilots in respect of the features which best lend themselves to conceptual and technical templates needed in their own fields of work. There is no lack of evidence of the need for interoperability solutions : recent studies on the state of European security, healthcare, justicial and police cooperation, and fraud all underline the need for urgent progress. This project aims to help open the door to technical  solutions, ways of collaborating and sharing, and professional development and training pilots which, taken together, create a practical template, designed on a consultative basis, for public administrations to study, adopt and adapt.