Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1532462
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 16 FEBRUARY 2025 6 COMMERCIAL The Interoperable Europe Act and its implementation within the Maltese public administration BY KEITH CI LIA- DEBONO THE Treaties of the Euro- pean Union (EU) stipulate that the EU's internal mar- ket shall guarantee the free movement of goods, capital, services and people between its Member States. Common policies, supported by inter- connected and interoperable networks and systems, help affirm such freedoms. In the process, Public Administra- tions in Member States are increasingly undergoing ma- jor digital transformations so as to ensure the necessary in- ter-connectedness and inter- action in a cost-efficient and human-centric manner. Essentially, therefore, Public Administrations need to en- sure that they do not run the risk of creating isolated dig- ital environments that may impede them from seamless mutual coordination and from having completeness in da- ta and service. This will ulti- mately impair the ability for European citizens and busi- nesses alike to be able to eas- ily identify and avail of digital public services in EU Member States, other than in their own country. Hence the need for the digitalisation of public ad- ministrations to be performed in a coordinated manner on a national and European level so as to ensure the establishment and running of fully interoper- able systems across the Mem- ber State borders. The Interoperable Europe Act, which has entered in- to force on 11 April 2024, is a key legal instrument aimed at strengthening coopera- tion around interoperability among Member State Public Administrations and EU bod- ies. It enables them to effec- tively share data, information and knowledge across borders through digital processes. The Act's underlying premise is its clear recognition that interop- erability cannot be attained by technical means alone but that it also requires harmonisation in terms of established pro- cesses and inter-organisation- al agreements, data descrip- tions, data exchange rules as well as in having a structured and long-term cooperation framework. Hence the in- troduction of new or revised rules, standards or specifica- tions (legally termed as 'bind- ing requirements') impacting and influencing such means of cross-border interoperabil- ity in digital public services across the EU are expected to trigger the need of an inter- operability assessment. The Act's obligation to perform such Interoperability Assess- ments has come into effect as from 12 January 2025. MITA as the Government-ap- pointed National Competent Authority (NCA) and single point of contact for the Act's implementation is responsi- ble to oversee and coordinate the conduct and reporting of results of the Interoperability Assessments. The document- ed outcomes of an Interoper- ability Assessment are subject to review by the Interopera- ble Europe Board. The Board, which is also established by the Act itself, brings together representatives from all EU Member States and the Euro- pean Commission and aims to steer a common interoperabil- ity approach. As part of this effort, MITA as the national representative appointed by Government to form part of the Board, seeks to push for- ward Malta's digital strategic priorities towards the Interop- erable Europe Agenda. The Interoperable Europe Act and its supporting tools and instruments are the start of an accelerated process for improved interoperability across the EU. They are ulti- mately expected to lead to an emerging network of digitally interconnected Member State Public Administrations and EU bodies, that work in close collaboration together, to fos- ter innovation and enable ho- listic economic and social de- velopments across the Union, in line with its digital goals for 2030 and beyond.