# EUR-Lex - 52014PC0367 - EN

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# 52014PC0367

**Proposal for a DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL establishing a programme on interoperability solutions for European public administrations, businesses and citizens (ISA2) Interoperability as a means for modernising the public sector /* COM/2014/0367 final - 2014/0185 (COD) */**

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EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM

1.           CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL

1.1         Political context

The public sector plays a key role in the
economy as regulator, service provider and employer. It accounts for over 25 %
of total employment and a significant proportion of economic activity in the EU
Member States. An efficient and productive public sector can be a strong driver
of economic growth through its support for, and governance of, the private
sector. At a time when governments are facing up to the challenge of ensuring
financial consolidation while fostering growth, competitiveness and employment,
there is strong justification for efficiency gains, better governance, faster
delivery and more user involvement in the public sector[1].

Years of work around
themes such as interoperability, eGovernment, open data, cloud computing and
social innovation have brought within reach a suite of mature concepts and
tools. The core novelty is the capacity of open data, participative tools and
interoperable platforms to unleash unprecedented speed, efficiency and quality
in the creation and delivery of public goods and services. The potential for
interlinked and cooperative open governments joining together contributions
from various sectors in an interoperable and secure manner is now high, and
realising this ambition will be a crucial element for the successful building
of the digital single market.

As mentioned in its 2013 annual growth
survey[2],
the Commission considers the cross-border interoperability of online services
and the digitisation of European public administrations to be important
contributors to growth and increased efficiency. Interoperability between
administrations is a key enabler for more efficient and effective delivery of
digital services, while sharing and re-using existing interoperability
solutions could reduce the multiplication of costs. These are important
productivity factors that could improve and modernise public administrations at
EU, national, regional and local levels[3].

In response to the current economic crisis,
the Commission has adopted another important initiative, the Europe 2020
Strategy[4],
to turn the EU into a smart, sustainable and inclusive economy, delivering high
levels of employment, productivity and social cohesion. Certain key challenges addressed by the Strategy relate directly to the
modernisation of European public administrations. As underlined in the Digital Agenda for Europe (DAE)[5],
a Europe 2020 flagship programme, interoperability is
essential to maximising the social and economic potential of ICT and,
consequently, DAE can take off only
if interoperability is ensured. The DAE’s ‘interoperability and standards’ pillar ties in with policy priorities under other relevant initiatives such as the European Interoperability
Strategy (EIS), the European Interoperability Framework (EIF)[6] and the 2012-15 e‑Commission Strategy[7].

On 24 and 25 October 2013, the European
Council adopted conclusions stressing that the modernisation of public
administrations should continue, with the swift implementation of services,
such as e-government, e-health, e-invoicing and e-procurement that rely on
interoperability. This will lead to more and better digital services for
citizens and enterprises across Europe, cost savings and increased efficiency, transparency and quality of service in the public sector.

Interoperability programmes have come a
long way since they were first introduced in 1995. The Commission has demonstrated
its dedication to interoperability solutions over a remarkably long period.
Today, strong commitment on all sides is essential if the Commission and the Member States are to transform and modernise services within and across Europe. In this
context, interoperability, as a key enabler, has led the way to achieving ‘efficient
and effective electronic cross-border and cross-sectoral interaction between
[...] administrations, [...] enabling the delivery of electronic public services
supporting the implementation of EU policies and activities’, as called for in
the decision on the previous programme (ISA Decision Article 1(2)[8]).

Therefore, in responding to real needs, the
current proposal for the continuation of the Commission’s interoperability
programme will make a strong contribution to the modernisation of European public
administrations.

The proposal ties in with other initiatives
contributing to the modernisation of public administrations, such as the DAE, Horizon
2020[9], Connecting Europe
Facility (CEF)[10]
and networks like the European Public Administration Network (EUPAN), the
Investment Funds and the European Structural Funds (in the latter two cases by
ensuring that funded projects are aligned with the EU‑wide
interoperability frameworks and specifications). In a recent report on powering
European public‑sector innovation[11],
interoperability and work under the previous programme are mentioned as factors
conducive to digital innovation and overcoming barriers to public sector
modernisation.

This new programme should therefore be a
central point of reference and an instrument enabling the ICT-based modernisation
of the public sector in Europe and, consequently, an invaluable contribution to
achieve the digital single market.

1.2         The importance of
interoperability

In today’s Europe, citizens are free to
work and re-locate and businesses are free to trade and operate within and across
the Union. In doing so, they frequently have to interact electronically with Member State administrations. To facilitate this interaction, Member States are gradually
modernising their administrations by improving business processes and ICT
infrastructures, thereby reducing their administrative burden and costs while
increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the services they provide.

However, because it takes place at national
level and lacks European‑level interoperability, such change very often
throws up electronic barriers (‘e-barriers’) that prevent citizens and
businesses from using public services efficiently and impede the smooth
functioning of the internal market.

At the same time, the challenges facing Europe increasingly require common policy responses and consequently the joining of Member
States’ forces in implementing these. Applying a broad range of legislative
acts is the shared responsibility of the Member States and the Commission and
requires interaction across borders and sectors by means of ICT interoperability
solutions, which are now an integral part of most legislative acts and a key
instrument for such interaction.

1.3         Background

The 1995-99 Interchange of Data between
Administrations (IDA) Programme[12]
aimed to promote the development and operation of trans-European telematic
networks through which Member State administrations could exchange data with
each other and/or the EU institutions.

The follow-on programme, IDA II (1999-2004) [13][14],
aimed to make the delivery of e‑Government
services to European businesses and citizens more efficient.

The 2005-09 IDABC Programme[15] aimed at the interoperable delivery of pan-European e‑Government
services to public administrations, businesses and citizens.

The 2010-15 ISA Programme[16] on interoperability solutions for European public administrations
had as its objective to support cooperation between European public
administrations by facilitating efficient and effective electronic cross-border
and cross-sector interaction enabling the delivery of electronic public
services to help implement Union policies and activities.

Activities under the above programmes have
contributed significantly to ensuring interoperability in the electronic
exchange of information between European public administrations. In its Resolution
on a competitive digital single market — e-Government as a spearhead (3
April 2012), the European Parliament recognised the contribution and
overarching role of the ISA Programme in defining, promoting and supporting the
implementation of interoperability solutions and frameworks for European public
administrations, achieving synergies, promoting the re-use of infrastructure,
digital services and software solutions, and translating public
administrations’ interoperability requirements into specifications and
standards for digital services. The Parliament also called for an increase in
the financial allocations for interoperability solutions between the EU public
administrations for 2014-20.

With the ISA Programme coming to an end on
31 December 2015, a new EU programme on interoperability solutions for European
public administrations, businesses and citizens is needed in order to:

· 
map and analyse the overall interoperability
landscape in Europe and avoid its fragmentation;

· 
enable, promote and support a holistic approach
to the collection, assessment, development, establishment, industrialisation,
operation, improvement and maintenance of interoperability solutions, including
solutions that facilitate the re-use of data as well as its exchange, in
support of cross-border or cross-sector interaction for European public
administrations and between them and enterprises and citizens; and

· 
promote and support the re-usability,
integration and convergence of existing solutions, including those from other
Union policy areas.

The new programme will contribute to
meeting challenges and ensuring continuity while providing a forum for the exchange
of ideas and experience.

1.4         Related EU initiatives and
interoperability in other policy areas

In the wider context, action under the
previous ISA Programme was continuously coordinated and aligned with the ongoing
work under the ICT Policy Support Programme (ICT PSP) of the Competitiveness
and Innovation Framework Programme (CIP) and/or with the Commission’s internal
ICT strategy, and with action in the context of the 2011-15 European e-Government
Action Plan. The ISA Programme supported these and
similar initiatives whenever they contributed to interoperability between EU
public administrations.

ISA was also well aligned with the CEF Programme,
the Union’s funding instrument for trans-European networks in the fields of
transport, energy and telecommunications. CEF supports the deployment and
operation of key cross-border digital services. The proposed programme is complementary
to CEF by including in its scope bringing-up services to operational level, as required,
before being taken on board by CEF. It is also one of the enabler and
contributor programmes for public sector innovation in Europe.

Interoperability has also made a
significant contribution in the area of cloud computing. As stated in the
Commission communication ‘Unleashing the Potential of Cloud Computing in Europe’[17], interoperability
plays an important role in supporting the “creation of public services based on
standards, scalable, and in
line with the needs of a mobile population and businesses that want to benefit
from the European digital single market”. The proposed programme will take into
account the activities of the European Cloud Initiative regarding interoperability.

Interoperability is an enabler of EU policy-making
and successful implementation at sectoral level. The following policy areas,
among others, rely on interoperability for their effective and efficient implementation:

· 
Internal market: Directive
2006/123/EC on services in the internal market[18]
requires Member States to offer service providers the possibility of completing
electronically and across borders all procedures and formalities needed to
provide a service outside their home country. In addition, in the area of
company law, Directive 2012/17/EU[19]
requires the interoperability of Member States’ central, commercial and
companies registers via a central platform. Interconnecting company registers
will ensure cross-border exchange of information between registers and will
facilitate EU-level access for citizens and businesses to data on companies,
thus improving the legal certainty of the business environment in Europe;

· 
Environment: The INSPIRE
Directive[20]
requires the adoption of common implementing rules laying down technical
interoperability arrangements and national infrastructures to be adapted so as
to ensure that spatial data and services are interoperable and accessible
across borders in the Union;

· 
Home affairs and Justice: Effectiveness relies on enhanced interoperability and synergies
among European databases via, for example, the Visa Information System (VIS),
the Schengen Information System II (SIS II), the European Dactyloscopy system
(Eurodac) and the e‑Justice portal;

· 
Customs, taxation and excise duties: with more than 20 years of experience in operating trans-European ICT systems spanning all Member States supporting
business services funded by the Fiscalis 2013[21]
and Customs 2013[22]
programmes, implemented and operated by the Commission and national
administrations, interoperability has proven a key success factor. The assets
created under Fiscalis 2013 and Customs 2013 programmes are available for
sharing and re-use from other policy areas on ‘as is’ basis;

· 
Health: Directive
2011/24/EU on the application of patients’ rights in cross-border healthcare
provides rules for facilitating access to safe, high-quality cross-border
healthcare. The Directive sets explicit provisions for achieving wider interoperability
of national ICT systems for the electronic exchange of health data. In
pharmaceuticals, the European Telematics network is managed by the European
Medicines Agency, the national authorities and the Commission. It delivers
practical solutions to streamlining the authorisation of medicinal products and
an interoperable European pharmacovigilance network.

· 
Animal Health and Food safety: Effective solutions supporting the full chain of animal and animal
product traceability and alerts have been applied for the past 10 years with steady
improvements. All actors in the chain (from business to administrations) are
involved in the TRACES system. Electronic exchanges between the actors
(including third countries) are based on international standards (UNCEFACT) and
a system of electronic signatures is being introduced to enable e-processing of
almost all official documents.

· 
European funds: All
exchanges of information in relation with the European Regional Development
Fund, European Social Fund, Cohesion Fund, European Agricultural Fund for Rural
Development and European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, between beneficiaries and
managing authorities, certifying authorities, audit authorities and
intermediate bodies are carried out by means of electronic data exchange
systems[23],
so as to facilitate interoperability with national and EU frameworks and allow
beneficiaries to submit all requisite information only once;

· 
Public sector information: Directive 2013/37/EU[24]
provides that, where possible and appropriate, public sector bodies make
documents available in open and machine‑readable formats together with
their metadata, at the best level of precision and granularity, in a format
that ensures interoperability, re-use and accessibility;

· 
Electronic identity: The Commission’s proposal for a Regulation on electronic
identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal
market[25]
stresses that the EU needs an enabling framework to address cross‑border
interoperability and improve the coordination of national supervision schemes
on EU‑wide accepted electronic identification and electronic
authentication;

· 
ICT standardisation: Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 on European standardisation[26] refers to
interoperability as an essential outcome of standardisation and states that, in
order to ensure interoperability in the single market and improve freedom of
choice for EU users in the field of ICT, it is appropriate to encourage the use
of, or require compliance with, relevant technical specifications at Union
level. In this context, the present programme should promote and, where appropriate,
support the partial or full standardisation of existing interoperability
solutions.

· 
Production of European Statistics: In Regulation (EC) No 223/2009[27]
on European Statistics setting up the basis of the European Statistical System
(ESS) and the subsequent Commission Communication 404 (2009)[28] on ‘the production of
EU statistics: a vision for the next decade’, interoperability is a key enabler
for achieving efficiency gains, reducing the administrative burden reduction
and improving the quality of EU statistics for EU citizens, enterprises and
policy makers.

· 
In the area of Public Procurement, Directives 2014/25/EU, 2014/24/EU and 2014/23/EU of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 28 March 2014 require Member States to
implement electronic procurement. They state that the tools and devices to be
used for communicating by electronic means, as well as their technical
characteristics, have to be interoperable with the information and
communication technology products in general use. The Directive 2014/55/EU[29] on electronic
invoicing in public procurement adopted by the Parliament on 11 March
2014concerns the development of a European standard for electronic invoicing in
public procurement to ensure interoperability between electronic invoicing
systems across the EU.

However, for all the above sectorial
initiatives to unleash their full potential, cross-sector interoperability has
to be considered and placed within the scope of the present programme.

1.5         Grounds for the proposal

To enable efficient and effective
interaction with citizens and businesses, Member States should modernise their
administrations and provide interoperable digital services at national and
European level.

Issues faced by public administrations
still include internal organisational complexity, lack of frameworks, ICT
architectures and tools enabling interoperability, cultural fragmentation and a
lack of cooperation among dispersed institutional entities.

The 2012 interim evaluation of the ISA
Programme found that it was relevant[30]
in responding to Member States’ needs, on the basis
that those addressed by past and current Commission programmes, i.e. IDA,
IDABC and ISA, still apply to European public administrations.

The present programme is therefore needed
to:

– 
facilitate cooperation among Member States and the Commission;

– 
map and analyse the overall interoperability
landscape in Europe;

– 
enable, promote and support a holistic approach
to collecting, assessing, developing, establishing, industrialising, operating,
improving and maintaining interoperability solutions, including solutions that
facilitate the re-use of data as well as its exchange, in support of
cross-border or cross-sector interaction between European public
administrations, businesses and citizens; and

– 
at the same time, promote and support the re-usability,
integration and convergence of existing solutions, including those derived from
other EU policy areas.

A key factor in the success of any interoperability,
especially in the area of ICT, is to address it at the right legal level for maximum
effect. It should be ensured that the ICT impact of proposed legislation is
assessed and measured early in the EU legislative process and that ICT needs
are identified in time, allowing for smooth implementation of the legislation when
it comes into force.

The present programme will support and
promote the assessment of the ICT implications of proposed or adopted Union
legislation and planning for the introduction of solutions to support the implementation
of such legislation.

2.           RESULTS OF CONSULTATIONS
WITH THE INTERESTED PARTIES AND IMPACT ASSESSMENTS

2.1         Consultation of interested
parties

Stakeholders’ views on the future of the
ISA Programme (the present proposal) were collected between March 2013 and January
2014 in five rounds of formal consultations with Member States. Twelve Commission
DGs[31] were also consulted and their comments were taken into account in
the proposal.

The Commission presented the ‘state of play’
on preparation of the legal basis for the new ISA Programme to Member States in
two official ISA Committee meetings and three ISA Coordination Group meetings.
This iterative process enabled it to gather Member States’ feedback on the
proposed legislation.

The Commission first informed the Member
States of its intention to introduce a new legal decision for the successor ISA
Programme in March 2013. It presented a draft of the legislation in an ISA Coordination
Group meeting in October 2013 and asked the Member States to provide feedback.

The feedback received from 16 Member States[32] in November 2013 indicated that:

· 
the new legislation should focus on avoiding duplication
of effort and coordinating with other EU programmes (mentioned by 10 Member States);

· 
the monitoring of results should continue and
include quantification of the programme benefits (mentioned by seven Member States);

· 
the new ISA Programme should contribute to the interoperability
‘big picture’ by using an architecture model/tool such as the European
Interoperability Cartography (mentioned by six Member
States); and

· 
the Programme should be driven by a needs-based
approach (mentioned by six Member States).

Other, more minor comments were that:

· 
there is a need to involve different stakeholder
groups in the review of the legislation (e.g. citizens, businesses, academia)
and to ensure that it addresses their situation;

· 
the new legislation should stress the importance
of re-using data, services and solutions;

· 
specific references in the legislation should encourage
the simplification of processes in the context of the modernisation of public
administrations; and

· 
the new programme should play the role of a
facilitator/incubator for Member State and
inter-institutional cooperation so as to ensure that solutions are not only put
in place but are also sustainable, without efforts being duplicated.

The latest feedback from Member States was
gathered in the 16 January 2014 meeting of the ISA Committee, when the time
plan for adoption of the new programme was presented and agreed. It was also agreed that, although the legislation should extend to
citizens and businesses, public administrations should remain the focal point to
ensure end-to-end interoperability.

2.2         Impact assessment

The impact assessment for the present programme
was based on a meta-evaluation from the previous programme’s evaluations (2012 interim
evaluation for the ISA Programme and the EIS implementation review) and on
Member States’ feedback.

The largely positive ISA interim evaluation
concluded that the ISA Programme was aligned with the Commission’s policy
priorities and Member States’ needs and was implemented efficiently and
coherently, delivering results that were re-used by Commission services and
Member States. However, it also identified some shortcomings and made
recommendations for action with regard to:

· 
communication and
awareness‑raising;

· 
stakeholder involvement and project management
continuity; and

· 
avoiding overlaps and
duplication of work, increasing re-usability and ensuring sustainability.

Also, the evaluators considered that four
out of the eleven recommendations from the final evaluation of the predecessor
programme (IDABC) were still applicable to the ISA Programme.

The present programme takes the
recommendations of the interim report into account and addresses the
shortcomings with specific activities, while aiming to consolidate, promote and
expand existing ISA Programme activities. In particular, the new programme will
help identify, create and operate interoperability solutions, which will then
be provided for unlimited use to other Union’s institutions and bodies, and national,
regional and local public administrations, thus facilitating cross-border or
cross-sector interaction between them. The programme will also develop
interoperability solutions autonomously or complement and support other Union
initiatives by piloting interoperability solutions as a ‘solution incubator’ or
ensuring their sustainability as a ‘solution bridge’.

By doing so, the programme will help reduce
the cost and administrative burden of cross‑border interaction for all concerned,
further improve the internal market and freedom of movement in the EU without
administrative e-barriers, and contribute to the swift implantation of ICT
systems supporting EU legislation.

In the event of the present programme not
being adopted, existing support for effective and efficient interaction between
European public administrations would be dropped, leading to multiplied costs
and additional effort. Furthermore, the proliferation of disparate solutions
could inadvertently result in new or worse e-barriers, thus impeding the smooth
functioning of the internal market and freedom of movement, i.e. the opposite of
the objective of modernising European public administrations.

Similarly, the establishment and operation
of new interoperability solutions would no longer contribute to ensuring an
efficient and effective exchange of data between European public
administrations. With no new programme, far fewer EU initiatives would be taken
in support of interoperability, which is a pre‑condition for the delivery of cross-border or cross-sector online digital services
of European public administrations.

By launching the present programme, the EU
will make an important contribution to ensuring smooth interaction between
European public administrations to the direct benefit of Member States,
businesses and citizens.

The programme will add economic value by
supporting the proper functioning of the internal market through solutions that
will ensure:

(a)        shorter response times in public
administrations’ interaction with citizens and businesses;

(b)        the identification and re-use of
existing solutions to serve similar business needs; and

(c)        the automation of cross-border
and cross-sector transactions, thus saving resources and time.

Social value would be added in as far as
the programme activities will eventually benefit citizens and businesses as
users of cross-border and cross-sector electronic public services making use of
such common and shared solutions.

3.           LEGAL ELEMENTS OF THE
PROPOSAL

3.1         Summary of the proposed
legislation

The present programme succeeds the ISA
Programme and will consolidate, promote and expand its activities.

In particular, the new programme will:

· 
help to identify, create and operate interoperability
solutions, which will then be provided for unlimited use to other Union
institutions and bodies, and national, regional and local public
administrations, thus facilitating cross-border or cross-sector interaction
between them;

· 
develop interoperability solutions autonomously
or complement and support other Union initiatives by piloting interoperability
solutions as a ‘solution incubator’ or ensuring their sustainability as a
‘solution bridge’; and

· 
assess the ICT implications of existing and
proposed EU legislation.

3.2         Legal basis

In accordance with Article 170 of the
Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), to help achieve the
objectives referred to in Articles 26 and 174 TFEU and to enable citizens of
the European Union, economic operators and regional and local communities to
derive full benefit from the setting‑up of an area without internal
frontiers, the Union should contribute to the establishment and development of
trans-European networks by means of actions to promote the interconnectivity
and interoperability of national networks, as well as access to them.

In accordance with Article 172 TFEU
(previously Article 156 of Treaty Establishing the European Community), ‘the
guidelines and other measures referred to in Article 171(1) shall be adopted by
the European Parliament and the Council, acting in accordance with the ordinary
legislative procedure and after consulting the Economic and Social Committee
and the Committee of the Regions. Guidelines and projects of common interest
which relate to the territory of a Member State shall require the approval of
the Member State concerned.’

3.3         Subsidiarity principle

The subsidiarity principle applies insofar
as the proposal does not fall under the exclusive competence of the EU.

The objectives of the proposal cannot be
sufficiently achieved by the Member States acting independently, as this could
not produce the interoperability effects necessary for cross-border or
cross-sector electronic public services or establish common and shared
solutions in support of the interaction between European public
administrations.

EU action will achieve the objectives of
the proposal more effectively, as the programme will establish and operate
interoperability solutions in support of smooth interaction between public
administrations across borders or sectors, enabling the delivery of electronic
public services supporting the implementation of EU policies and activities.

Therefore, the programme has a clear inherent
EU dimension. The proposal therefore complies with the subsidiarity principle.

3.4         Proportionality principle

The programme will support the provision of
common and shared solutions, i.e. common frameworks, generic tools and common
services, to be applied, as appropriate, by European public administrations for
the exchange of information across borders or sectors. In the absence of other
provisions, the application of such solutions is subject to Member States’ discretion.

The establishment and improvement of common
frameworks and generic tools will be financed via the programme, while the use
of such frameworks and tools is to be financed by the users at the
administrative level in question. The programme will finance the establishment,
industrialisation (i.e. bringing to a state of operational maturity) and
improvement of common services, but will finance their actual operation only where
this may serve the EU interests. In other cases, the use of the services,
including their operation on a decentralised basis, will be financed by the
users.

The solutions established by the programme will
reduce the financial and administrative burden on European public
administrations in interacting with each other. The proposal therefore complies
with the proportionality principle.

3.5         Choice of instruments

As with the previous ISA Programme, the legal
act proposed is a decision of the European Parliament and of the Council, since
in this particular case, a decision is the most appropriate means for complying
with the proportionality principle.

4.           BUDGETARY IMPLICATION

The financial envelope for implementation
of the new ISA2 Programme for the period 1 January 2016 to 31
December 2020 is EUR 130 928 000. The proposed envelope is consistent
with the current Multiannual Financial Framework for the years 2014-2020.

Further details are provided in the legislative
financial statement accompanying the proposal.

5.           OPTIONAL ELEMENTS

European Economic Area

The
proposed act concerns an EEA matter and should therefore extend to the European
Economic Area.

Candidate countries

The proposed act is open
to participation by candidate countries.

2014/0185 (COD)

Proposal for a

DECISION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
AND OF THE COUNCIL

establishing a programme on interoperability
solutions for European public administrations, businesses and citizens (ISA2)

Interoperability as a means for
modernising the public sector

(Text with EEA relevance)

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE
COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the
Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 172 thereof,

Having regard to the proposal from the
European Commission,

After transmission of the draft legislative
act to the national parliaments,

Having regard to the opinion of the
European Economic and Social Committee[33],

Having regard to the opinion of the
Committee of the Regions[34],

Acting in accordance with the ordinary
legislative procedure,

Whereas:

(1)       In a series of Ministerial
Declarations (in Manchester on 24 November 2005, Lisbon on 19 September 2007,
Malmö on 18 November 2009 and Granada on 19 April
2010), ministers invited the Commission to facilitate cooperation among Member
States by implementing cross-border and cross-sector interoperability solutions
that will enable more efficient and secure public services. Moreover, Member
States recognised that better public services need to be delivered with fewer
resources, and that the potential of e-Government can be boosted by promoting a
culture of collaboration and improving the conditions for interoperability in
European public administrations.

(2)       In its Communication of 19
May 2010 to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and
Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on A Digital Agenda for
Europe[35]
(DAE), one of the flagship initiatives of its Europe 2020 Strategy[36], the Commission stressed
that interoperability is essential to maximise the social and economic
potential of ICT and that, consequently, the Digital Agenda can take off only if interoperability is ensured.

(3)       In its Communication of 16 December 2010
to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social
Committee and the Committee of the Regions Towards interoperability for
European public services[37], the Commission introduced
the European Interoperability Strategy (EIS) and the European Interoperability
Framework (EIF).

(4)       At Union level,
interoperability facilitates successful implementation of policies. The
following policies in particular rely on interoperability for their effective
and efficient implementation:

(5)       In the area of the
internal market, Directive 2006/123/EC of the European Parliament and of the
Council[38]
requires Member States to offer service providers the possibility of completing
electronically and across borders all procedures and formalities needed to
provide a service outside their home country.

(6)       In the area of company
law, Directive 2012/17/EU[39]
requires the interoperability of Member States’ central, commercial and
companies registers via a central platform. The interconnection of company
registers will ensure cross-border exchange of information between registers
and will facilitate EU-level access for citizens and businesses to data on
companies, thus improving legal certainty in the business environment in Europe.

(7)       In the area of
environment, Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council[40] requires the adoption
of common implementing rules laying down technical interoperability
arrangements. In particular, that Directive requires national infrastructures to
be adapted to ensure that spatial data and services are interoperable and accessible
across borders in the Union.

(8)       In the area of home
affairs and justice, enhanced interoperability among European databases is the
basis of the Visa Information System (VIS)[41],
the Schengen Information System II (SIS II)[42],
the European Dactyloscopy system (Eurodac)[43]
and the e‑Justice portal[44].
Furthermore, on 24 September 2012, the Council adopted conclusions calling for the
introduction of the European Legislation Identifier (ELI) and highlighting the
need for interoperable searching and exchange of legal information published in
national official journals and legal gazettes, through the use of unique
identifiers and structured metadata.

(9)       Interoperability has been
a key factor to success in the area of Customs, Taxation and excise duties, in
operating trans-European ICT systems spanning all Member States supporting
interoperable business services funded by the Fiscalis 2013 and Customs 2013
programmes, implemented and operated by the Commission and national
administrations. Assets created under Fiscalis 2013 and Customs 2013 programmes
are available for sharing and re-use from other policy areas.

(10)     In the area of health,
Directive 2011/24/EU[45]
provides rules for facilitating access to safe, high-quality cross-border
healthcare. Specifically, the Directive established the eHealth Network to
address the interoperability challenge between electronic health systems. The
Network can adopt guidelines on the minimum data set to be exchanged across
borders in case of unplanned and emergency care and on ePrescription services
across national borders.

(11)     In the area of European
funds, Article 122 of Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament
and of the Council[46]
requires all exchanges of information between beneficiaries and managing
authorities, certifying authorities, audit authorities and intermediate bodies
to be carried out by means of electronic data‑exchange systems. These
systems are to facilitate interoperability with national and Union frameworks
and allow beneficiaries to submit all requisite information only once.

(12)     In the area of public
sector information, Directive 2013/37/EU of the European Parliament and of the
Council[47]
stresses that public sector bodies should, where possible and appropriate, make
documents available through open and machine-readable formats together with
their metadata, at the best level of precision and granularity, in a format
that ensures interoperability, re-use and accessibility.

(13)     In the area of electronic identity,
the proposal of the Commission of 4 June 2012 for a Regulation of the European
Parliament and of the Council on electronic identification and trust services
for electronic transactions in the internal market[48] highlights the need
for the Union to create an enabling framework to address cross-border
interoperability and to improve the coordination of national supervision
schemes on Union-wide accepted electronic identification and electronic
authentication.

(14)     In the area of ICT
standardisation, Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 of the European Parliament and
of the Council[49]
refers to interoperability as an essential outcome of standardisation.

(15)     In the area of research and
innovation, Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013 of the European Parliament and of
the Council, establishing Horizon 2020[50],
clearly mentions that interoperable solutions and standards in ICT are key
enablers for the partnering of industries at Union level. Collaboration around
common, open‑technology platforms with spill-over and leverage effects
will allow a wide range of stakeholders to benefit from new developments and
create further innovations.

(16)     In public procurement,
Directives 2014/25/EU[51],
2014/24/EU[52]
and 2014/23/EU[53]
of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 March 2014 require Member
States to implement electronic procurement. They state that the tools and
devices to be used for communicating by electronic means, as well as their
technical characteristics, must be interoperable with the information and
communication technology products in general use. Moreover, Directive
2014/55/EU[54]
on electronic invoicing in public procurement adopted by the Parliament on 11
March 2014 concerns the development of a European standard for electronic
invoicing in public procurement to ensure interoperability between electronic
invoicing systems across the EU.

(17)     Interoperability is also a fundamental
element of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) established by Regulation (EU)
No 1316/2013 of the European Parliament and the Council[55] in the area of
broadband infrastructure and services. The Regulation 2014/283/EU[56] on guidelines for
trans-European networks in the area of telecommunications infrastructure explicitly
mentions that an operational priority for the CEF to achieve its objectives is the
interoperability, connectivity, sustainable deployment, operation and upgrading
of trans-European digital service infrastructures as well as their coordination
at Union level.

(18)     At political level, the
Council has repeatedly called for even greater interoperability in Europe and for continued efforts to modernise European public administrations. In
particular, on 24 and 25 October 2013, the European Council adopted conclusions
stressing that the modernisation of public administrations should continue
through the swift implementation of services such as e-government, e-health,
e-invoicing and e‑procurement, which rely on interoperability.

(19)     A single sector
interoperability perspective is associated with the risk that the adoption of different
or incompatible solutions at national or sectoral levels will throw up new
e-barriers that impede the proper functioning of the internal market and the
associated freedoms of movement, and undermine the openness and competitiveness
of markets and the delivery of services of general interest to citizens and
enterprises. In order to mitigate this risk, Member States and the Union should step up joint efforts to avoid market fragmentation and ensure cross‑border
or cross-sector interoperability in the implementation of legislation, while
reducing administrative burdens and costs, and promote commonly agreed ICT
solutions, while ensuring appropriate governance.

(20)     Several successive programmes
have sought to ensure the coherent development and implementation of global and
sectoral interoperability strategies, legal frameworks, guidelines, services
and tools to address requirements under Union‑wide policies, such as:

– 
the IDA Programme (1999-2004) set up by Decision
1719/1999/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council[57] and by Decision No
1720/1999/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council[58],

– 
the IDABC Programme (2005-09) set up by Decision
2004/387/EC e-Government[59];
and the

– 
the ISA Programme (2010-15) set up by Decision No
922/2009/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council[60].

(21)     Activities under the IDA,
IDABC and ISA Programmes have made important contributions to ensuring
interoperability in the electronic exchange of information between public
administrations of the Union. In its Resolution on a competitive digital
single market — e-Government as a spearhead (3 April 2012)[61], the European
Parliament recognised the contribution of the ISA Programme and its overarching
role in defining, promoting and supporting the implementation of
interoperability solutions and frameworks for European public administrations,
achieving synergies, promoting the re-use of solutions and translating their
interoperability requirements into specifications and standards for digital
services.

(22)     With Decision No 922/2009/EC
ceasing to apply on 31 December 2015, a new Union Programme on interoperability
solutions for European public administrations, businesses and citizens (ISA2)
is needed in order to map and analyse the overall interoperability landscape in
 Europe and avoid its fragmentation. The Programme will enable, support and
promote a holistic approach to the collection, assessment, development,
establishment, industrialisation, operation, improvement and maintenance of
interoperability solutions, including solutions that facilitate the re-use of
data as well as its exchange, in support of European public administrations’
cross‑border or cross-sector interactions with each other and with
enterprises and citizens. Finally, the Programme will promote the re-usability,
integration and convergence of existing solutions, including those derived from
other Union policy areas.

(23)     Solutions established or
operated under the present ISA2 Programme should, as far as
possible, form part of a consistent environment of services facilitating
interaction between European public administrations, enterprises and citizens,
and ensuring, facilitating and enabling cross-border or cross-sector
interoperability.

(24)     Citizens and enterprises should
also benefit from common, re-usable and interoperable front-office services
resulting from better integration of processes and exchange of data through the
European public administrations’ back-offices.

(25)     The ISA2 Programme
should be an instrument for public‑sector modernisation in the Union.

(26)     Interoperability is
directly connected with, and dependent on the use of, standards and common
specifications. The ISA2 Programme should promote and, where appropriate,
support the partial or full standardisation of existing interoperability
solutions. This should be achieved in cooperation with other standardisation
activities at Union level, European standardisation organisations and other
international standardisation organisations.

(27)     The modernisation of public
administrations is one of the key priorities for successful implementation of
the Europe 2020 Strategy. In this context, the Annual Growth Surveys published
by the Commission in 2011, 2012 and 2013 show that the quality of European
public administrations has a direct impact on the economic environment and is therefore
crucial to stimulating productivity, competitiveness and growth. This is
clearly reflected in the country-specific recommendations, which call for
specific action aimed at public administration reform.

(28)     Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013
includes a thematic objective of ‘enhancing institutional capacity of public
authorities and stakeholders and an efficient public administration’. In this
context, the ISA2 Programme should tie in with programmes and
initiatives contributing to the modernisation of public administrations like
e.g. the DAE, and related networks like e.g. the European Public
Administration Network (EUPAN) and seek synergies with them.

(29)     Interoperability of
European public administrations concerns all levels of administration:
European, local, regional and national. It is therefore important that
solutions take into account their respective needs, as well as those of
citizens and enterprises where relevant.

(30)     National administrations
can be supported in their endeavours through specific instruments under the
European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF). Close cooperation under the
ISA2 Programme should maximise the benefits expected from such instruments
by ensuring that funded projects are aligned with the Union‑wide
interoperability frameworks and specifications such as the EIF.

(31)     This Decision lays down a
financial envelope for the entire duration of the ISA2 programme which
constitute the prime reference amount, within the meaning of Point 17 of the
Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013[62] between the European
Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary discipline, on
cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial management, for the
European Parliament and the Council during the annual budgetary procedure.

(32)     Consideration should be
given to the possibility of using pre-accession funds to facilitate candidate
countries’ participation in the ISA2 Programme and the adoption and
further implementation in those countries of solutions provided under it.

(33)     The ISA2 Programme
should contribute to the implementation of any follow-on initiatives in the
context of Europe 2020 and the DAE. In order to avoid any duplication of
effort, it should take account of other Union programmes in the field of ICT
solutions, services and infrastructures, in particular the CEF laid down in
Regulation 1316/2013/EU and Horizon 2020 laid down in Regulation (EU) No
1291/2013.

(34)     In order to ensure uniform
conditions for the implementation of this Decision, implementing powers should
be conferred on the Commission. Those powers should be exercised in accordance with Regulation
(EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council[63].

(35)     The Commission should adopt
immediately applicable implementing acts where, in duly justified cases
relating to the established rolling work programme, imperative grounds of
urgency so require.

(36)     The objectives of this
Decision are to facilitate efficient and effective electronic cross‑border
or cross-sector interaction between European public administrations and between
them and citizens and businesses, to enable the delivery of electronic public
services supporting the implementation of Union policies and activities. Since
this cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States acting alone because
the coordination function at the European level would be difficult and costly
to set up at the level of the Member States by Member States themselves and can
therefore, by reason of the scale and effects of the proposed action, be better
achieved at Union level, the Union may adopt measures, in accordance with the
principle of subsidiarity as set out in Article 5 of the Treaty on European
Union. In accordance with the principle of proportionality, as set out in that Article
l, this Decision does not go beyond what is necessary in order to achieve those
objectives,

HAVE ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1
Subject matter and objective

1.           This Decision establishes,
for 2016-20, a programme on interoperability solutions for European public
administrations, businesses and citizens (hereinafter referred to as ‘the ISA2 programme’).

The ISA2 programme shall facilitate efficient and effective electronic
cross-border or cross-sector interaction between European public administrations
and between them and citizens and businesses, in order to enable the delivery
of electronic public services supporting the implementation of Union policies
and activities.

2.           Through the ISA2 Programme, the Union shall identify, create and operate interoperability solutions implementing Union
policies. These solutions shall subsequently be provided for unlimited use to
other Union institutions and bodies, and to national, regional and local public
administrations, thus facilitating cross‑border or cross-sector
interaction between them.

3.           The ISA2 Programme shall develop
interoperability solutions autonomously or complement and support other Union
initiatives by piloting interoperability solutions as a solution incubator or by
ensuring their sustainability as a solution bridge.

4.           The ISA2 programme succeeds the Union programme on interoperability
solutions for public administrations established by Decision No 922/2009/EC (hereinafter
referred to as ‘the ISA programme’) and shall consolidate, promote and expand
its activities.

Article 2
Definitions

For the purposes of this Decision, the
following definitions shall apply:

(1) 
‘interoperability’ means the ability of
disparate and diverse organisations to interact towards mutually beneficial and
agreed common goals, involving the sharing of information and knowledge between
the organisations, through the business processes they support, by means of the
exchange of data between their respective information and communication technology
(ICT) systems;

(2) 
‘interoperability solutions’ means common
frameworks, common services and generic tools facilitating cooperation between
disparate and diverse organisations, either autonomously funded and developed
by the ISA2 Programme or developed in cooperation with other Union
initiatives, based on identified requirements of European public
administrations;

(3) 
acting as a ‘solution incubator’ means the
development of, or support for, interoperability solutions during their pilot
phase, before they become operational under other Union programmes or
initiatives;

(4) 
acting as a ‘solution bridge’ means the further
development of, and support for, fully operational interoperability solutions
before their delivery under other Union programmes or initiatives;

(5) 
‘common frameworks’ means specifications,
standards, methodologies, guidelines, common semantic assets and similar
approaches and documents;

(6) 
‘common services’ means the organisational and
technical capacity to deliver a common outcome to users, including operational
systems, applications and digital infrastructures of a generic nature which
meet common user requirements across policy or geographical areas, along with
their supporting operational governance;

(7) 
‘generic tools’ means systems, reference
platforms, shared and collaborative platforms, and generic components which
meet common user requirements across policy or geographical areas;

(8) 
‘actions’ means projects, solutions already in their
operational phase and accompanying measures;

(9) 
‘project’ means a time-limited sequence of
well-defined tasks addressing identified user needs through a phased approach;

(10) 
‘accompanying measures’ means:

– 
strategic and awareness-raising measures;

– 
measures in support of the management of the ISA2
Programme;

– 
measures in relation to the sharing of
experience and the exchange and promotion of good practices;

– 
measures to promote the re-use of existing interoperability
solutions;

– 
measures aimed at community-building and
capability-raising; and

– 
measures aimed at establishing synergies with
initiatives relevant to interoperability in other areas of Union policy;

(11) 
‘European Interoperability Reference
Architecture (EIRA)’ means an architecture of a generic structure, comprising a
set of principles and guidelines applying to the implementation of interoperability
solutions in the European Union;

(12) 
‘European Interoperability Cartography (EIC)’
means a repository of interoperability solutions for European public
administrations provided by Union institutions and Member States, presented in
a common format and complying with specific re-usability and interoperability
criteria that can be represented on the EIRA.

Article 3
Activities

The ISA2 Programme shall support
and promote:

(a) 
the assessment, improvement, establishment,
industrialisation, operation and re-use of existing cross-border or
cross-sector interoperability solutions;

(b) 
the development, establishment,
industrialisation, operation and re-use of new cross‑border or
cross-sector interoperability solutions;

(c) 
the assessment of the ICT implications of
proposed or adopted Union legislation;

(d) 
the identification of legislation gaps that hamper
interoperability between European public administrations;

(e) 
the establishment, maintenance and improvement
of the EIRA;

(f) 
the establishment and maintenance of the EIC as
an instrument to facilitate the re-use of existing interoperability solutions and
to identify the areas where such solutions are still lacking;

(g) 
the assessment, update and promotion of existing
common specifications and standards and the development, establishment and
promotion of new common specifications and standards through the Union’s
standardisation platforms and in cooperation with European or international
standardisation organisations as appropriate; and

(h) 
the development of mechanisms that will measure
and quantify the benefits of interoperability solutions.

In addition, the ISA2 Programme
may act as a ‘solution incubator’, piloting new interoperability solutions, and
as a ‘solution bridge’, operating existing interoperability solutions.

Article 4 
General principles

Actions launched or continued under the ISA2
Programme shall:

(a) 
be based on utility and driven by identified
needs;

(b) 
comply with the following set of principles:

– 
subsidiarity and proportionality;

– 
user-centricity;

– 
inclusion and accessibility;

– 
security and privacy;

– 
multilingualism;

– 
administrative simplification;

– 
transparency;

– 
preservation of information;

– 
openness;

– 
re-usability;

– 
technological neutrality and adaptability; and

– 
effectiveness and efficiency;

(c) 
be extensible and applicable to other business
or policy areas; and

(d) 
demonstrate financial, organisational and
technical sustainability.

Article 5 
Actions

1.           The Commission shall, in
cooperation with the Member States, implement the actions specified in the
rolling work programme established pursuant to Article 7, in accordance with
the implementation rules laid down in Article 6.

2.           Actions in the form of
projects shall, where appropriate, consist of the following phases:

– 
initiation;

– 
planning;

– 
execution;

– 
closing; and

– 
monitoring and control.

The phases of specific projects shall be
defined and specified at the time when the action is included in the rolling
work programme.

3.           The implementation of the ISA2
Programme shall be supported by accompanying measures.

Article 6 
Implementation rules

1.           In the implementation of
the ISA2 Programme, due consideration shall be given to the European
Interoperability Strategy, the European Interoperability Framework and their
future updates.

2.           Involvement of the largest
possible number of Member States in a project shall be encouraged. Member States
shall be able, and encouraged, to join a project at any stage.

3.           In order to ensure
interoperability between national and Union information systems, interoperability
solutions shall be specified with reference to existing and new European
standards or publicly available or open specifications for information exchange
and service integration.

4.           The establishment or
improvement of interoperability solutions shall, where appropriate, build on or
be accompanied by the sharing of experience and the exchange and promotion of
good practices. The sharing of experience and good practices between all
stakeholders and relevant public consultations shall be encouraged.

5.           In order to avoid
duplication and to speed up the establishing of interoperability solutions,
results achieved by other relevant Union and Member State initiatives shall be
taken into account where appropriate.

6.           The implementation of interoperability
solutions under the ISA2 Programme shall, where appropriate, be
guided by the EIRA.

7.           Interoperability solutions
and their updates shall be included in the EIC and made available, where appropriate,
for re-use by European public administrations.

8.           The Commission shall
monitor periodically the implementation and re-use of interoperability solutions
across the Union, as part of the rolling work programme established pursuant to
Article 7.

9.           In order to maximise
synergies and ensure complementary and combined efforts, actions shall, where
appropriate, be coordinated with other relevant Union initiatives.

10.         All actions and interoperability
solutions funded under the ISA2 Programme shall be encouraged, where
appropriate, to re-use available interoperability solutions.

Article 7 
Rolling work programme

1.           At the start of the ISA2
Programme, the Commission shall adopt implementing acts establishing a rolling
work programme and amending it at least once a year, for the implementation of
actions for the entire period of application of this Decision. Those
implementing acts shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure
referred to in Article 10(2).

The rolling work programme shall identify,
prioritise, document, select, design, implement and evaluate the actions
referred to in Article 5, as well as promote their results.

2.           The inclusion of actions in
the rolling work programme shall be subject to compliance with a set of rules
and admission criteria before being included in the rolling work programme. Those
rules and criteria and any amendments thereof shall be an integral part of the
rolling work programme.

3.           A project originally
launched and developed under the ISA Programme or another Union initiative may
be included in the rolling work programme in any of its phases.

Article 8
Budgetary provisions

1.           Funds shall be released whenever
a project or a solution in its operational phase is included in the rolling
work programme or after successful completion of a project phase as defined in
the rolling work programme and any amendments thereto.

2.           Amendments to the rolling
work programme concerning budgetary allocations of more than EUR 400 000
per action shall be adopted in accordance with the examination procedure
referred to in Article 10(2).

3.           Actions under the ISA2
Programme may require the procurement of external services, which shall be subject
to EU procurement rules as laid down in Regulation (EU, Euratom) N° 966/2012.

Article 9
Actions and interoperability solutions eligible for financing

1.           The development, establishment
and improvement of common frameworks and generic tools shall be funded by the ISA2
Programme. The use of such frameworks and tools shall be financed by the users.

2.           The development, establishment,
industrialisation and improvement of common services shall be funded by the ISA2
Programme. A centralised operation of such services at Union level may be also funded
by the Programme, in cases where such an operation is considered by the
Commission as serving Union interests and is duly justified in the rolling work
programme. In all other cases, use of those services shall be financed by other
means.

3.           Interoperability solutions
taken over by the ISA2 Programme as ‘solution incubator’ or as ‘solution
bridge’ shall be funded by the Programme until they are taken over by other
programmes or initiatives.

4.           Accompanying measures
shall be funded by the Programme.

Article 10
Committee

1.           The Commission shall be
assisted by the Committee on Interoperability Solutions for European Public
Administrations, Businesses and Citizens (the ISA2 Committee)
established under Regulation (EU) No 182/2011.

2.           Where reference is made to
this paragraph, Article 5 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 shall apply.

3.           On duly justified
imperative grounds of urgency, the Commission shall adopt immediately
applicable implementing acts in accordance with the procedure referred to in
Article 8 of Regulation (EU) No 182/2011. Those acts shall remain in force for
a period not exceeding 6 months.

Article 11
Monitoring and evaluation

1.           The Commission and the ISA2
Committee shall regularly monitor the implementation and impact of the ISA2
Programme and users’ satisfaction with it. They shall also explore
synergies with complementary Union programmes.

2.           The Commission shall
report annually to the ISA2 Committee on the implementation of the Programme.

3.           The Programme shall be
subject to an interim evaluation and a final evaluation, the results of which
shall be communicated to the European Parliament and the Council by 31 December
2018 and 31 December 2021 respectively. In this context, the responsible
committee of the Parliament may invite the Commission to present the evaluation
results and answer questions raised by its members.

4.           The evaluations shall
examine issues such as the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, utility,
sustainability and coherence of Programme actions. The final evaluation shall,
in addition, examine the extent to which the Programme has achieved its
objective.

5.           The performance of the
Programme shall be assessed against the objective laid out in Article 1 and the
actions of the rolling work programme. The objective shall be measured in
particular through the number of key interoperability enablers and through the
number of supporting instruments for public administrations delivered to and
used by European public administrations. Indicators for measuring the result
and impact of the Programme shall be defined in the rolling work programme.

6.           The evaluations shall also
examine the benefits of the actions to the Union for the advancement of common
policies, identify areas for potential improvement and verify synergies with
other Union initiatives in the area of cross-border or cross-sector
interoperability and the modernisation of European public administrations.

7.           Completed or suspended
actions shall remain subject to the overall programme evaluation. They shall be
monitored regarding their position in the overall landscape of interoperability
solutions in Europe and evaluated in terms of user uptake, utilisation and re-usability.

8.           The evaluation of the ISA2
Programme shall contain, where applicable, information regarding:

(a) 
quantifiable benefits that the interoperability
solutions deliver by linking ICT with users’ needs;

(b) 
the quantifiable positive impact of the
interoperable ICT‑based solutions.

Article 12
International cooperation

1.           The ISA2 Programme
shall be open to participation by the countries of the European Economic Area
and the candidate countries in the framework of their respective agreements
with the Union.

2.           Cooperation with other
third countries and international organisations or bodies shall be encouraged,
notably in the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean and Eastern Partnerships and
with neighbouring countries, in particular those of the Western Balkans and Black Sea regions. Related costs shall not be covered by the ISA2 Programme.

3.           Where appropriate, the
Programme shall promote re-use of its solutions by third countries.

Article 13 
Non-Union initiatives

Without prejudice to other Union policies, interoperability
solutions established or operated by the ISA2 Programme may be used
by non-Union initiatives, for non-commercial purposes, provided that no extra
costs are incurred for the general budget of the Union and the main Union
objective of the interoperable solution is not compromised.

Article 14 
Financial provisions

1.           The financial envelope for
the implementation of Union action under this Decision for the period of its
application shall be EUR 130 928 000.

2.           The annual appropriations
shall be authorised by the budgetary authority within the limits of the
financial framework.

3.           The financial allocation
for the Programme may also cover expenses pertaining to preparatory,
monitoring, checking, audit and evaluation activities which are required on a
regular basis for the management of the programme and the achievement of its
objectives.

Article 15
Entry into force

This
Decision shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its
publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

It shall apply from 1 January 2016 until 31
December 2020.

Done at Brussels,

For the European Parliament                        For
the Council

The President                                                 The
President

LEGISLATIVE FINANCIAL STATEMENT

1.           FRAMEWORK OF THE
PROPOSAL/INITIATIVE

1.1.    Title of the proposal/initiative

1.2.    Policy
area(s) concerned in the ABM/ABB structure

1.3.    Nature
of the proposal/initiative

1.4.    Objective(s)

1.5.    Grounds
for the proposal/initiative

1.6.    Duration
and financial impact

1.7.    Management
mode(s) envisaged

2.           MANAGEMENT MEASURES

2.1.    Monitoring
and reporting rules

2.2.    Management
and control system

2.3.    Measures
to prevent fraud and irregularities

3.           ESTIMATED FINANCIAL
IMPACT OF THE PROPOSAL/INITIATIVE

3.1.    Multiannual
financial framework heading(s) and expenditure budget line(s) affected

3.2.    Estimated
impact on expenditure

3.2.1. Summary of estimated
impact on expenditure

3.2.2. Estimated impact
on operational appropriations

3.2.3. Estimated impact
on appropriations of an administrative nature

3.2.4. Compatibility
with the current multiannual financial framework

3.2.5. Third-party
contributions

3.3.    Estimated impact on revenue

LEGISLATIVE FINANCIAL STATEMENT

1.           FRAMEWORK OF THE
PROPOSAL/INITIATIVE

1.1.        Title of the
proposal/initiative

Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council on
interoperability solutions for European public administrations, businesses and
citizens (ISA2)

1.2.        Policy area(s) concerned
in the ABM/ABB structure[64]

Information and Communication Technologies — Operational programme
under Title 26: Commission’s administration

Activity: 26 03 Services to public administrations, businesses and
citizens

1.3.        Nature of the
proposal/initiative

ü The proposal/initiative relates to a new action

 ̈ The proposal/initiative relates to a new action
following a pilot project/preparatory action[65]

 ̈ The proposal/initiative relates to the extension of
an existing action

 ̈ The proposal/initiative relates to an action
redirected towards a new action

1.4.        Objective(s)

1.4.1.     Commission multiannual
strategic objective(s) targeted by the proposal/initiative

The general objective is to facilitate efficient and effective
electronic cross-border or cross-sector interaction between European public
administrations and between them and citizens and businesses, to enable the
delivery of electronic public services supporting the implementation of Union
policies and activities and the exchange of public sector information.

The specific objectives are to:

-         improve, operate and re-use existing cross-border or
cross-sector interoperability solutions;

-         develop, operate and re-use new cross-border or cross-sector
interoperability solutions;

-         assess the ICT implications of proposed or adopted Union
legislation and identify areas in which new legislation could promote
interoperability;

-         create a European Interoperability Reference Architecture
(EIRA) to be used as the tool for building and assessing interoperability
solutions;

-         create an instrument to facilitate the re-use of existing
interoperability solutions and to identify the areas in which such solutions
are still missing;

-         assess and promote existing common specifications and
standards and develop new common specifications and standards; and

-         introduce a mechanism that will measure and quantify the
benefits of interoperability solutions.

1.4.2.     Specific objective(s) and
ABM/ABB activity(ies) concerned

Specific objective No 26

Interoperable delivery of pan-European e-government services to public
administrations, businesses and citizens

-         Investing in modern public administrations — interoperability
solutions

ABM/ABB activity(ies) concerned

ABB Activity 26.03: Services to public administrations, businesses
and citizens

1.4.3.     Expected result(s) and
impact

Specify the effects
that the proposal/initiative should have on the beneficiaries/groups targeted.

The development of better interoperability solutions for European
public administrations and between them and businesses/citizens will
significantly improve the exchange of information between Member States and
create opportunities for significant cost reductions.

Through the ISA2 Programme, DIGIT will work, with other
Commission services and in close cooperation with Member States and other
stakeholders, on key interoperability enablers, support for the effective
implementation of EU policies and legislation, and facilitating the delivery of,
and support for, electronic public services for use by European public
administrations.

It actively supports the modernisation of European public
administrations for the benefit of Union initiatives, Member States, citizens
and businesses.

1.4.4.     Indicators of results and
impact

Specify the
indicators for monitoring implementation of the proposal/initiative.

The Commission has identified a general objective and a set of
specific objectives (see paragraph 1.4.1).

Achievement of these objectives is expected to feed into outcome
indicators by means of which the ‘intervention logic’ of the Programme can be
formally measured. The indicators and expected results have been developed in
the ex-ante evaluation and are set out in the relevant accompanying
document.

The specific objectives, outcomes and indicators fall into the
following five main categories that represent the lines of action under the Programme:

–        key interoperability enablers;

–        support for the effective implementation of EU legislation;

–        support instruments for public administrations;

–        accompanying measures; and

–        monitoring activities.

The budgetary impact of the Programme is shown in Table 3.2.2. Programme
evaluation will examine issues such as the relevance, effectiveness,
efficiency, utility, sustainability and coherence of the actions and assess
performance against the Programme’s objective and the rolling work programme.

1.5.        Grounds for the
proposal/initiative

1.5.1.     Requirement(s) to be met in
the short or long term

The ISA2 Programme will have to meet the need to create
key interoperability enablers, support the effective implementation of Union
legislation, provide support instruments to European public administrations and
build on existing or new common frameworks, common services, and re-usable
generic tools.

These needs have been identified through exchanges of views with those
involved in other areas of Union policy and Member State representatives, through
the ex-ante evaluation and through the formal consultation described in
the explanatory memorandum. The main beneficiaries of activities under the Programme
will be European public administrations. Businesses and citizens will benefit
indirectly through the provision of services by public administrations.

1.5.2.     Added value of EU
involvement

All activity areas covered by the ISA2 Programme are
under the shared responsibility of Member States and the European Union.
Therefore, the Programme will intervene only in cases of demonstrable European
added value, as specified in the explanatory memorandum.

The Programme management committee will ensure coherence and
complementarity with activities at Member State level. At Union level,
inter-service coordination will ensure that activities are aligned with those
in other policy areas (e.g. European Semester, country-specific reports/recommendations)
and with the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) and Digital Agenda pillar II on
interoperability and standards, with a view to maximising coherence and
synergies. The close cooperation and coordination with Member States and other policy areas will help the Programme constantly to assess actual needs, the
proportionality of activities and the respect of subsidiarity.

As stressed in the explanatory memorandum, the ISA2 Programme
will add primarily financial and economic value to Union intervention and
contribute to the reinforcement and implementation of Union policies and
legislation, achieving considerable synergies through coordination across
borders or sectors.

1.5.3.     Lessons learned from
similar experiences in the past

The Commission’s report to the European Parliament and the Council
on the interim evaluation of the previous ISA Programme highlights the largely
positive conclusions of the evaluation. All the recommendations have been
addressed in the new ISA2 Programme.

1.5.4.     Compatibility and possible
synergy with other appropriate instruments

As stated in the explanatory memorandum, coherence with and
complementarity to the CEF is ensured and is expected to lead to synergies.

1.6.        Duration and financial
impact

ü Proposal/initiative of limited
duration

– 
ü  Proposal/initiative in effect from 1.1.2016 to 31.12.2020

– 
 ̈  Financial impact from YYYY to YYYY

 ̈ Proposal/initiative of unlimited
duration

– 
Implementation with a start-up period from YYYY
to YYYY,

– 
followed by full-scale operation.

1.7.        Management mode(s) planned[66]

ü Direct management by the Commission

– 
ü by its departments, including by its staff in the Union
delegations;

– 
 ̈  by the executive agencies;

 ̈ Shared management with the Member States

 ̈ Indirect management by delegating implementation tasks to:

– 
 ̈ third countries or the bodies they have designated;

– 
 ̈ international organisations and their agencies (to be specified);

– 
 ̈the EIB and the European Investment Fund;

– 
 ̈ bodies referred to in Articles 208 and 209 of the Financial
Regulation;

– 
 ̈ public law bodies;

– 
 ̈ bodies governed by private law with a public service mission to the
extent that they provide adequate financial guarantees;

– 
 ̈ bodies governed by the private law of a Member State that are entrusted with the implementation of a public-private partnership and that
provide adequate financial guarantees;

– 
 ̈ persons entrusted with the implementation of specific actions in
the CFSP pursuant to Title V of the TEU, and identified in the relevant basic
act.

– If more than one management mode is
indicated, please provide details in the ‘Comments’ section.

Comments

The ISA2 Programme will commence on 1 January 2016.

2.           MANAGEMENT MEASURES

2.1.        Monitoring and reporting
rules

Specify frequency and conditions

Regular monitoring of programme implementation is planned in
accordance with the principle of sound financial management and the Commission’s
administrative procedures. Monitoring will include annual reporting to the
management committee on progress made in implementing the supported activities.

The Programme will be subject to an interim evaluation and a final
evaluation, the results of which will be communicated to the European
Parliament and the Council by 31 December 2018 and 31 December 2021
respectively. In this context, the responsible committee of the Parliament may
invite the Commission to present the evaluation results and answer questions
raised by its members.

2.2.        Management and control
system

2.2.1.     Risk(s) identified

An ex-ante evaluation has been carried out to accompany the
proposal for the Decision. Specific recommendations resulting from this and
from the interim evaluation of the ISA Programme have been duly taken into
account. Certain risks identified in the recommendations are addressed
thoroughly in the proposal.

The ISA2 Programme will develop and support the European
Interoperability Cartography (EIC) as an instrument to map and analyse the
interoperability landscape in Europe and to identify solutions that are
available and those that are still lacking. On that basis, it will continue to support
existing solutions, create new solutions and act as a facilitator for
interoperability solutions resulting from other Union initiatives that could
become operational in the Union’s digital service delivery channels. It will thus
avoid duplication of effort, strengthen collaboration between Member States and Commission services, and actively promote the re-use of existing solutions.

2.2.2.     Information concerning the
internal control system set-up

Existing control methods applied by the Commission will cover
appropriations under the Programme.

2.2.3.     Estimate of the costs and
benefits of the controls and assessment of the expected level of risk of error

A large number of financial and administrative control mechanisms are
provided for. The Programme will be implemented through public procurement in
accordance with the rules and procedures in the Financial Regulation.

2.3.        Measures to prevent fraud
and irregularities

2.3.1.     Specify existing or
envisaged prevention and protection measures

The rules and procedures of public procurement apply throughout the
process; these include:

–        establishment of the work programme, subject to the opinion
of the management committee, with milestones for the release of funding to ensure
the controllability of achievements and costs;

–        appropriate drafting of tender specifications to ensure the
controllability of achievement of the required results and of incurred costs;

–        qualitative and financial analysis of the tenders;

–        involvement of other Commission departments throughout the
process;

–        verification of results and examination of invoices before
payment, at several levels; and

–        internal audit.

3.           ESTIMATED FINANCIAL
IMPACT OF THE PROPOSAL/INITIATIVE

3.1.        Heading(s) of the
multiannual financial framework and expenditure budget line(s) affected

· Existing budget lines

In order of MFF
headings and budget lines.

MFF heading || Budget line || Type of expenditure || Contribution

Number [...][Heading ..........................................................] || Diff./non-diff. ([67]) || from EFTA countries[68] || from candidate countries[69] || from third countries || within the meaning of Article 21(2)(b) of the Financial Regulation

1A || 26.01.04.01 Support expenditure for interoperability solutions for European public administrations || non-diff. || YES || YES || NO || NO

· New budget lines requested

In order of MFF
headings and budget lines.

MFF heading || Budget line || Type of expenditure || Contribution

Number [...][Heading ..........................................................] || Diff./non-diff. || from EFTA countries || from candidate countries || from third countries || within the meaning of Article 21(2)(b) of the Financial Regulation

1A || 26.03.01.01 Interoperability solutions for European public administrations, businesses and citizens[70] (ISA2) || diff. || YES || YES || NO || NO

1A || 26.03.01.51 Completion of actions funded by Interoperability Solutions for European Public Administrations (ISA) || diff. || YES || YES || NO || NO

3.2.        Estimated impact on
expenditure

3.2.1.     Summary of estimated impact
on expenditure

EUR million (to three decimal places)

MFF heading || Number || 1A — Competitiveness for growth and jobs

DG: DIGIT || || || 2016 || 2017 || 2018 || 2019 || 2020 || || || TOTAL

Ÿ Operational appropriations || || || || || || || ||

Number of budget line || Commitments || (1) || 24.448 || 25.115 || 25.783 || 26.452 || 27.130 || || || 128.928

Payments || (2) || 6.500 || 23.800 || 24.500 || 26.000 || 48.128 || || || 128.928

Appropriations of an administrative nature financed from the envelope of specific programmes[71] || || || || || || || ||

Number of budget line || || (3) || 0.400 || 0.400 || 0.400 || 0.400 || 0.400 || || || 2.000

TOTAL appropriations for DG DIGIT || Commitments || =1+1a +3 || 24.848 || 25.515 || 26.183 || 26.852 || 27.530 || || || 130.928

Payments || =2+2a +3 || 6.900 || 24.200 || 24.900 || 26.400 || 48.528 || || || 130.928

Ÿ TOTAL operational appropriations || Commitments || (4) || 24.848 || 25.515 || 26.183 || 26.852 || 27.530 || || || 130.928

Payments || (5) || 6.900 || 24.200 || 24.900 || 26.400 || 48.528 || || || 130.928

Ÿ TOTAL appropriations of an administrative nature financed from the envelope for specific programmes || (6) || || || || || || || ||

TOTAL appropriations for MFF HEADING 1A || Commitments || =4+ 6 || 24.848 || 25.515 || 26.183 || 26.852 || 27.530 || || || 130.928

Payments || =5+ 6 || 6.900 || 24.200 || 24.900 || 26.400 || 48.528 || || || 130.928

MFF heading || 5 || Administrative expenditure

EUR million (to three decimal places)

|| || || 2016 || 2017 || 2018 || 2019 || 2020 || || || TOTAL

DG: DIGIT ||

Ÿ Human resources || 2.416 || 2.416 || 2.416 || 2.416 || 2.416 || || || 12.080

Ÿ Other administrative expenditure || 0.120 || 0.120 || 0.120 || 0.120 || 0.120 || || || 0.600

TOTAL DG DIGIT || Appropriations || 2.536 || 2.536 || 2.536 || 2.536 || 2.536 || || || 12.680

TOTAL appropriations for MFF HEADING 5 || (Total commitments = Total payments) || 2.536 || 2.536 || 2.536 || 2.536 || 2.536 || 2.536 || || 12.680

EUR million (to three decimal places)

|| || || 2016 || 2017 || 2018 || 2019 || 2020 || || || TOTAL

TOTAL appropriations under MFF HEADINGS 1 to 5 || Commitments || 27.384 || 28.051 || 28.719 || 29.388 || 30.066 || || || 143.608

Payments || 9.436 || 26.736 || 27.436 || 28.936 || 51.064 || || || 143.608

3.2.2.     Estimated impact on
operational appropriations

– 
 ̈  The proposal/initiative does not require the use of operational
appropriations

– 
ü  The proposal/initiative requires the use of operational
appropriations, as explained below:

Commitment appropriations in EUR million (to three
decimal places)

Indicate objectives and outputs ò || || || 2016 || 2017 || 2018 || 2019 || 2020 || || || TOTAL

OUTPUTS

Type[72] || Average cost || No || Cost || No || Cost || No || Cost || No || Cost || No || Cost || No || Cost || No || Cost || No total || Total cost

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE as per paragraph 1.4.1 and 1.4.4 || || || || || || || || || || || || || || || ||

Key interoperability enablers || || || || 6.000 || || 6.000 || || 6.000 || || 7.000 || || 7.000 || || || || || || 32.000

Support the effective implementation of EU legislation || || || || 10.000 || || 12.000 || || 12.000 || || 14.000 || || 14.000 || || || || || || 62.000

Supporting instruments for European public administrations || || || || 3.000 || || 3.500 || || 4.000 || || 4.500 || || 4.500 || || || || || || 19.500

Accompanying measures || || || || 2.550 || || 2.550 || || 2.550 || || 2.550 || || 2.550 || || || || || || 12.750

Monitoring activities || || || || 0.535 || || 0.535 || || 0.535 || || 0.535 || || 0.535 || || || || || || 2.675

TOTAL COST || || 22.094 || || 24.594 || || 25.094 || || 28.594 || || 28.594 || || || || || || 128.925

3.2.3.     Estimated impact on
appropriations of an administrative nature

3.2.3.1.  Summary

– 
 ̈  The proposal/initiative does not require the use of appropriations
of an administrative nature

– 
ü  The proposal/initiative requires the use of appropriations of an
administrative nature, as explained below:

EUR million (to
three decimal places)

|| 2016 || 2017 || 2018 || 2019 || 2020 || || || TOTAL

MFF HEADING 5 || || || || || || || ||

Human resources || 2.416 || 2.416 || 2.416 || 2.416 || 2.416 || || || 12.080

Other administrative expenditure || 0.120 || 0.120 || 0.120 || 0.120 || 0.120 || || || 0.600

Subtotal MFF HEADING 5 || 2.536 || 2.536 || 2.536 || 2.536 || 2.536 || || || 12.680

Outside MFF HEADING 5[73] || || || || || || || ||

Human resources || || || || || || || ||

Other expenditure of an administrative nature || || || || || || || ||

Subtotal outside MFF HEADING 5 || || || || || || || ||

TOTAL || 2.536 || 2.536 || 2.536 || 2.536 || 2.536 || || || 12.680

The human resources
appropriations required will be met by appropriations from the DG that are
already assigned to management of the action and/or have been redeployed within
the DG, together if necessary with any additional allocation which may be
granted to the managing DG under the annual allocation procedure and in the
light of budgetary constraints.

3.2.3.2.  Estimated
requirements of human resources

– 
 ̈  The proposal/initiative does not require the use of human
resources.

– 
ü  The proposal/initiative requires the use of human resources, as
explained below:

Estimate to be expressed in full time
equivalent units

|| || 2016 || 2017 || 2018 || 2019 || 2020 || || || Total

|| Ÿ Establishment plan posts (officials and temporary staff) || ||

|| XX 01 01 01 (Headquarters and Commission’s Representation Offices) — AD || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || || || 10

|| XX 01 01 01 (Headquarters and Commission’s Representation Offices) — AST || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 || || || 4

|| XX 01 01 01 (Headquarters and Commission’s Representation Offices) — AST/SC || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2 || || || 2

|| XX 01 01 02 (Delegations) || || || || || || || ||

|| XX 01 05 01 (Indirect research) || || || || || || || ||

|| 10 01 05 01 (Direct research) || || || || || || || ||

Ÿ External staff (in full-time equivalent unit: FTE)[74] ||

|| XX 01 02 01 (CA, SNE, INT from the ‘global envelope’) — SNE || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3 || || || 3

|| XX 01 02 01 (CA, SNE, INT from the ‘global envelope’) — CA || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || || || 1

|| XX 01 02 02 (CA, LA, SNE, INT and JED in the delegations) || || || || || || || ||

|| XX 01 04 yy[75] || - at Headquarters || || || || || || || ||

|| - Delegations || || || || || || || || ||

|| XX 01 05 02 (CA, SNE, INT — Indirect research) || || || || || || || ||

|| 10 01 05 02 (CA, INT, SNE — Direct research) || || || || || || || ||

|| Other budget lines (specify) || || || || || || || ||

|| TOTAL || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || || || 20

XX is the policy
area or budget title concerned.

The human resources
required will be met by staff from the DG who are already assigned to
management of the action and/or have been redeployed within the DG, together if
necessary with any additional allocation that may be granted to the managing DG
under the annual allocation procedure and in the light of budgetary
constraints.

Description of
tasks to be carried out:

Officials and temporary staff || The AD posts cover the actual management of the Programme: elaboration of the work Programme, management of the budget, management of the public calls for tenders associated with the execution of the Programme, management of the contract associated with the execution of the Programme, follow-up of projects, contacts with Commission services and Member State experts, organisation of expert meetings, workshops and conferences. Also included is the head of unit. The AST and AST/SC posts provide support in the following areas: - Secretarial tasks, organisation of missions (2 persons); - Budget management, calls for tenders, contracts and payments of invoices (2 persons); - Information dissemination and communication (2 persons); - Logistics: organisation of meetings and workshops, invitations to experts, reimbursement of experts, document management (1 person).

External staff || The END posts support the actual management of the Programme, complementing the AD posts mainly in areas related to coordination with the Member States, the follow-up of projects and the organisation of expert meetings, workshops and conferences. The contractual staff will provide dedicated support for (a) the dissemination and exploitation activities of the Programme and (b) the actual management of specified actions mainly in areas involving other Commission services.

3.2.4.     Compatibility with the
current multiannual financial framework

– 
ü  Proposal/initiative is compatible the current multiannual
financial framework.

The proposal is compatible with the existing multiannual financial framework.

– 
 ̈  Proposal/initiative will entail reprogramming of the relevant
heading in the multiannual financial framework.

Explain what reprogramming is required,
specifying the budget lines concerned and the corresponding amounts.

– 
 ̈  Proposal/initiative requires application of the flexibility
instrument or revision of the multiannual financial framework[76].

Explain what is required, specifying the
headings and budget lines concerned and the corresponding amounts.

3.2.5.     Third-party contributions

– 
The proposal/initiative does not provide for
co-financing by third parties.

3.3.        Estimated impact on
revenue

– 
ü  Proposal/initiative has no financial impact on revenue.

– 
 ̈  Proposal/initiative has the following financial impact:

 ̈         on own resources

 ̈         on miscellaneous revenue

EUR million (to three decimal places)

Budget revenue line: || Appropriations available for the current financial year || Impact of the proposal/initiative[77]

Year N || Year N+1 || Year N+2 || Year N+3 || Enter as many years as necessary to show the duration of the impact (see point 1.6)

Article ............. || || || || || || || ||

For miscellaneous
‘assigned’ revenue, specify the budget expenditure line(s) affected.

Specify the method for
calculating the impact on revenue.

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[2]               Commission 2013 annual growth survey, COM(2012) 750
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[3]               European Interoperability Strategy 2012
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[4]               Commission Communication EUROPE
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[5]               A Digital Agenda for Europe, Commission Communication to the
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[7]               e‑Commission 2012-15: Delivering user-centric
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[8]               Decision 922/2009/EC of the
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[9]               Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013 of the European
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[12]             Council Decision 95/468/EC of 6 November 1995 on a
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[13]             Decision 1719/1999/EC of the European Parliament and of
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[14]             Decision 1720/1999/EC of the European Parliament and
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[15]             Decision 2004/387/EC of the
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[16]             Decision 922/2009/EC of the
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[17]             Communication from the Commission to the European
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[18]             Directive 2006/123/EC of the
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[19]             Directive 2012/17/EU of the European Parliament and of
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Directives 2005/56/EC and 2009/101/EC of the European Parliament and of the
Council as regards the interconnection of central, commercial and companies
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[20]             Directive 2007/2/EC of the
European Parliament and of the Council of 14 March 2007 establishing an
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[21]             Decision No 1482/2007/EC of the European Parliament and
of the Council of 11 December 2007 establishing a Community programme to
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[22]             Decision No 624/2007/EC of the European Parliament and
of the Council of 23 May 2007 establishing an action programme for customs in
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[23]             Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament
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the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European Maritime
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[24]             Directive 2013/37/EU of the European Parliament and of
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[25]             Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament
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[26]             Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 of the European Parliament
and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on European standardisation, amending
Council Directives 89/686/EEC and 93/15/EEC and Directives 94/9/EC, 94/25/EC,
95/16/EC, 97/23/EC, 98/34/EC, 2004/22/EC, 2007/23/EC, 2009/23/EC and 2009/105/EC
of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Council Decision
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[27]             Regulation (EC) No 223/2009 of the European Parliament
and of the Council of 11 March 2009 on European statistics and repealing
Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1101/2008 of the European Parliament and of the
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[28]             Communication from the Commission to the European
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[29]             Directive 2014/55/EU of the European Parliament and of
the Council of 16 April 2014 on electronic invoicing in public procurement. OJ
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[30]             Interim evaluation of the ISA
programme, Kurt Salmon, 31.10.2012.

[31]             SG, COMP, MARE, JRC, PO, DGT, EMPL, REGIO, HOME, JUST,
ENTR, CNECT.

[32]             Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece,
Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Malta, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden and the United Kingdom.

[33]               OJ C , , p.

[34]               OJ C , , p. .

[35]               COM(2010) 245.

[36]               COM(2010) 2020.

[37]               COM(2010) 744.

[38]               Directive 2006/123/EC of the European Parliament and
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376, 27.12.2006, p. 36.

[39]               Directive 2012/17/EU of the European Parliament and
of the Council of 13 June 2012 amending Council Directive 89/666/EEC and
Directives 2005/56/EC and 2009/101/EC of the European Parliament and of the
Council as regards the interconnection of central, commercial and companies
registers.

[40]               Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of
the Council of 14 March 2007 establishing an Infrastructure for Spatial
Information in the European Community (INSPIRE). OJ L 108, 25.4.2007, p. 1.

[41]               Regulation (EC) No 767/2008 of the European
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[42]             Regulation (EC) No 1987/2006 of the European Parliament
and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on the establishment, operation and use
of the second-generation Schengen Information System (SIS II). OJ L 381, 28.12.2006,
p. 4–23.

[43]             Council Regulation No 2725/2000 of 11 December 2000
concerning the establishment of ‘Eurodac’ for the comparison of fingerprints
for the effective application of the Dublin Convention. OJ L 316, 15.12.2000,
p. 1–10.

[44]             https://e-justice.europa.eu

[45]             Directive 2011/24/EU of the European Parliament and of
the Council of 9 March 2011 on the application of patients’ rights in
cross-border healthcare. OJ L 88, 4.4.2011, p. 45-65.

[46]             Regulation (EU) No 1303/2013 of the European Parliament
and of the Council of 17 December 2013 laying down common provisions on the
European Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion
Fund, the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the European
Maritime and Fisheries Fund and laying down general provisions on the European
Regional Development Fund, the European Social Fund, the Cohesion Fund and the
European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No
1083/2006 . OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 320.

[47]             Directive 2013/37/EU of the European Parliament and of
the Council of 26 June 2013 amending Directive 2003/98/EC on the re-use of
public sector information. OJ L 175, 27.6.2013, p. 1.

[48]             COM(2012) 238. OJ C [..], [..], p.[..]

[49]             Regulation (EU) No 1025/2012 of the European Parliament
and of the Council of 25 October 2012 on European standardisation, amending
Council Directives 89/686/EEC and 93/15/EEC and Directives 94/9/EC, 94/25/EC,
95/16/EC, 97/23/EC, 98/34/EC, 2004/22/EC, 2007/23/EC, 2009/23/EC and
2009/105/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and repealing Council
Decision 87/95/EEC and Decision No 1673/2006/EC of the European Parliament and
of the Council. OJ L 316, 14.11.2012, p. 12.

[50]             Regulation (EU) No 1291/2013 of the European Parliament
and of the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing Horizon 2020 — the
Framework Programme for Research and Innovation 2014-2020 and repealing
Decision No 1982/2006/EC. OJ L 347, 20.12.2013, p. 104.

[51]             Directive 2014/25/EU of the European Parliament and of
the Council of 26 February 2014 on procurement by entities operating in the
water, energy, transport and postal services sectors and repealing Directive
2004/17/EC. OJ L 94, 28.3.2014, p243.

[52]             Directive 2014/24/EU of the European Parliament and of
the Council of 26 February 2014 on public procurement and repealing Directive
2004/18/EC. OJ L 94, 28.3/.014, p65-242.

[53]             Directive 2014/23/EU of the European Parliament and of
the Council of 26 February 2014 on the award of concession contracts. OJ L 94,
28.3.2014, p1-64.

[54]             Directive 2014/55/EU of the European Parliament and of
the Council of 16 April 2014 on electronic invoicing in public procurement. OJ
L 133, 6.5.2014, p. 1.

[55]             Regulation (EU) No 1316/2013/EU of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 11 December 2013 establishing the Connecting
Europe Facility, amending Regulation (EU) No 913/2010 and repealing Regulations
(EC) No 680/2007 and (EC) No 67/2010. OJ L 348, 20.12.2013, p. 129.

[56]             Regulation (EU) No 283/2014 of the European Parliament
and of the Council of 11 march 2014 on guidelines for trans-European networks
in the area of telecommunications infrastructure and repealing Decision No
1336/97/EC. OJ L 86, 21.3.2014, p.14.

[57]             Decision 1719/1999/EC of the European Parliament and of
the Council of 12 July 1999 on a series of guidelines, including the
identification of projects of common interest, for trans-European networks for
the electronic interchange of data between administrations (IDA). OJ L 203,
3.8.1999, p. 1.

[58]             Decision 1720/1999.EC of the European Parliament and
the Council of 12 July 1999 a series of actions and measures in order to ensure
interoperability of and access to trans-European networks for the electronic
interchange of data between administrations (IDA). OJ L 203, 3.8.1999, p. 9.

[59]             Decision 2004/387/EC of the European Parliament and of
the Council of 21 April 2004 on interoperable delivery of pan-European
eGovernment services to public administrations, businesses and citizens. OJ L
144, 30.4.2004, p. 62 and OJ L 181, 18.5.2004, p. 25 (Corrigendum).

[60]             Decision No 922/2009/EC of the European Parliament and
of the Council of 16 September 2009 on interoperability solutions for European
public administrations (ISA). OJ L 260, 3.10.2009, p. 20.

[61]             Document A7-0083/2012.

[62]             Interinstitutional Agreement of 2 December 2013 between
the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission on budgetary
discipline, on cooperation in budgetary matters and on sound financial
management. OJ C 373, 20.12.2013, p. 1-11

[63]             Regulation (EU) No 182/2011 of the European Parliament
and of the Council of 16 February 2011 laying down the rules and general principles
concerning mechanisms for control by Member States of the Commission’s exercise
of implementing powers.                OJ L 55, 28.12.2011, p. 13.

[64]               ABM: activity-based management; ABB: activity-based
budgeting.

[65]               As referred to in Article 54(2)(a) or (b) of the
Financial Regulation.

[66]               Details of management modes
and references to the Financial Regulation may be found on the BudgWeb site: http://www.cc.cec/budg/man/budgmanag/budgmanag_en.html.

[67]               Diff. = differentiated appropriations; non-diff. =
non-differentiated appropriations.

[68]               EFTA: European Free Trade Association. .

[69]               Candidate countries and, where applicable, potential
candidate countries in the Western Balkans.

[70]               This new budgetary item will replace current budget
line 26 03 01 01: Interoperability solutions for European Public
Administrations (ISA). Completion of ISA actions will be covered by item 26 03
01 02: Completion ....

[71]               Technical and/or administrative assistance and
expenditure in support of the implementation of EU programmes and/or actions
(former ‘BA’ lines), indirect research, direct research.

[72]               Outputs are products and services to be supplied
(e.g. number of student exchanges financed, number of km of roads built, etc.).

[73]               Technical and/or administrative assistance and
expenditure in support of the implementation of EU programmes and/or actions
(former ‘BA’ lines), indirect research, direct research.

[74]               CA= Contract Staff; LA = Local Staff; SNE= Seconded
National Expert; INT = agency staff; JED= Junior Experts in Delegations). .

[75]               Sub-ceiling for external staff covered by operational
appropriations (former ‘BA’ lines).

[76]               See points 19 and 24 of the Interinstitutional
Agreement (for 2007-13).

[77]               As regards traditional own resources (customs duties,
sugar levies), the amounts indicated must be net amounts, i.e. gross amounts
after deduction of 25 % for collection costs.