Trans-European networks for the electronic interchange of data between administrations IDA II: interoperability

PURPOSE : to present the IDA II Mid-term evaluation. CONTENT : the Commission considers the mid-term evaluation results a useful assessment of the IDA II Programme as a whole and the projects and actions launched under it. These results are, to a large extent, based on the conclusions and recommendations of the final evaluation report produced by the external consultant and serve as a baseline for the coming evaluation, to be carried out in 2004. In parallel with the mid-term evaluation and immediately after, steps have already been taken: In the context of IDA quality assurance, activities have started to include criteria related to the definition of project milestones and measurable benefits in the template for the GIP. In parallel, a Dashboard has been set up to measure progress in relation to the HAM-activities. Furthermore, a detailed guide for advice to the sectors was drawn up during the second half of 2001, clearly stating every step needed in the application process for IDA funding, while in the field of the HAMs a catalogue of IDA common tools & techniques has been put together. In support of the e-Europe 2005 action plan and in line with the new IDA objective of identifying and deploying pan-European e-Government services to citizens and enterprises, several actions have been launched. In this context, one can refer in particular to the launch of the portal of the EU administration (public services.eu) at the IDA Conference. Regarding citizens and businesses, IDA II should continue to ensure and verify that citizens and enterprises benefit from IDA networks, as well as to encourage the introduction of citizens and enterprises as users wherever possible. In the context of the e-Europe 2005 action plan, and taking into account the subsidiarity principle, IDA should promote direct access to Government's information and contribute to a reduction of the administrative burden on citizens and enterprises, as well as to the provision of pan-European e-Government services. Further to the open discussion at the IDA Conference, consideration should be given to how IDA will maintain appropriate consultation links with different tiers of Government, enterprises and citizens. Specific actions identified in the IDA II mid-term evaluation process and to be carried out in the period until 2004 (also in the light of the new IDA Decisions) concern: - Further strengthening of the assistance from the IDA team to the different sectoral administrations participating in the programme; - A review of the monitoring/reporting mechanisms for both PCIs and HAMs; - Emphasis on cost-benefit analysis for both PCIs and HAMs; - Establishing a description of an infrastructure, which shall serve as a platform for the development of PCIs and Other Sectoral Networks (OSNs); - Continuing the organisation of tutorial sessions/information days in both the Member States and the Candidate Countries; - Keeping an open dialogue with all stakeholders concerned on pan-European e-Government services to citizens and enterprises. Based on the mid-term evaluation and the experience gathered during four years of the IDA II programme, as well as the context provided by the e-Europe 2005 action plan and the results of the online consultation process/outcome of the IDA Conference, thisReport will serve as an input for the future Commission proposal for post-IDA II activities after 31 December 2004, the expire date of the IDA II Programme.�