On 23 October 2009, the new programme 'Interoperability Solutions for European Public Administrations' (ISA) came into force. It aims to foster electronic cooperation among Public Administrations in the EU Member States.

This ISA programme adopts a practical approach in supporting easier communication between administrations across Europe. It capitalises on the experience that has been gained since 1999 from two preceding programmes, namely: IDA II (Interchange of Data between Administrations) and IDABC (Interoperable Delivery of European eGovernment services to public Administrations, Businesses and Citizens).

ISA will run from 2010 to 2015 with a financial envelope of €164 million.

Commission Vice-President Siim Kallas, responsible for administrative affairs, audit and anti-fraud, said: "Citizens and businesses rightly expect efficient public services across Europe; they expect administrations to be able to communicate with other government departments easily and swiftly, and throughout Europe. The new ISA programme gives a boost to our long-standing efforts to create a European Union free from electronic barriers at national borders".

The ISA programme will facilitate electronic cross-border and cross-sector interaction between European Public Administrations, enabling the delivery of electronic public services and ensuring the availability of common solutions. Its priorities will be based on a European interoperability strategy, currently being developed by the Commission with the support of Member State administrations. The actions to be launched will fall under four areas of activity:

• Common frameworks in support of interoperability (policies, strategies, specifications, methodologies, guidelines, and similar approaches and documents).
• Reusable generic tools (demonstrators, shared and collaborative platforms, common components and similar building blocks for user needs across policy fields).
• Common services (operational applications and infrastructures of a generic nature to meet user requirements across policy areas).
• Analysis of ICT implications in the implementation of new EU legislation.

The ISA programme is managed by the European Commission in close cooperation with the EU Member States represented on the programme's management committee. This committee is expected to establish sub-groups of national experts to oversee and guide the implementation of the various actions while ensuring coordination and alignment with national initiatives.

Further information:

• Official press release - RAPID
  
• ISA page on the IDABC website 
• ISA decision - Official Journal of the European Union