COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Accompanying the document REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL First annual report on interoperability in the Union
Date: 2025-12-15
Institutions: Directorate-General for Digital Services, European Commission
Subjects: European Interoperability Framework, activity report, administrative cooperation, cross-border cooperation, digital transformation, electronic government, exchange of information, information system, public sector, public service

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 15.12.2025  SWD(2025) 975 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Accompanying the document REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL First annual report on interoperability in the Union {COM(2025) 860 final}  
 
 
Annual Report on  
Interoperability in the Union 

2025 – Staff Working Document 

SECTION 1: FROM THE EUROPEAN INTEROPERABILITY FRAMEWORK 
TOWARDS A NEW INTEROPERABILITY MONITORING MECHANISM 

in 

helping 

insights, 

principles 

implementation of the EIF1 highlighted the 
need  for  a  more  robust,  practical  and 
binding  monitoring  mechanism  to  better 
assess  the  practical  implementation  of 
and 
interoperability 
recommendations.  Such  a  mechanism 
would  address  gaps 
the  current 
system’s  focus  on  high-level,  voluntary 
to  provide 
guidance. 
It  would  aim 
actionable 
public 
administrations to identify successes and 
challenges and fostering a more coherent 
interoperability landscape across the EU. It 
would  also  improve  transparency  and 
accountability by offering granular data on 
costs,  benefits  and  progress,  enabling 
stakeholders  to  evaluate  efficiency  and 
make informed investment decisions. This 
in  view  of  the  disparities 
is  crucial 
observed  in  digitalisation  and  resources 
across  Member  States.  Additionally,  by 
successful 
systematically 
implementation,  it  would  facilitate  the 
exchange of best practice and the reuse of 
tools. 

analysing 

on 

the 

implementation 

The 
Interoperable  Europe  Monitoring 
Mechanism  aims  to  track,  evaluate  and 
of 
report 
interoperability  measures  across  EU 
Member  States  in  a  structured  manner, 
going beyond voluntary recommendations. 
A  key  priority  of  the  new  monitoring 
mechanism is the reuse of existing multi-
level monitoring data and the automation 

the 
As  mandated  by  Article 20  of 
Interoperable  Europe  Act  (‘the  Act’),  the 
purpose of monitoring and evaluation is to 
systematically  assess  the  effectiveness, 
the  Act’s 
efficiency  and 
implementation across EU Member States 
and institutions. 

impact  of 

What has changed? 

To  date,  the  European  Interoperability 
Framework (EIF) has played a crucial role 
in  guiding  public  administrations  across 
the EU in developing interoperable digital 
public services. First adopted in 2004 and 
revised in 2010 and 2017, the EIF provides 
structured  guidance  based  on  12 
principles such as openness, transparency, 
reusability  and  user-centricity.  These 
principles 
47 
recommendations aimed at helping public 
administrations achieve interoperability at 
all  levels  –  European,  national,  regional 
and local - while considering the needs of 
administrations, 
and 
businesses. The EIF Monitoring Mechanism 
monitors,  evaluates  and  reports  on  the 
implementation of the EIF and has helped 
to  identify  areas  for  improvement  and 
examples of best practice. 

individuals 

supported 

are 

by 

While the EIF plays a pivotal role in guiding 
the  development  of  interoperable  digital 
public  services  across  the  EU,  the  study 
the 
supporting 

evaluation 

the 

of 

1  Study  supporting 

the 
implementation of the EIF |  Publications Office 
of the EU. 

the  evaluation  of 

1 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
continuous 

improvement. 

of  data  collection.  By  providing  detailed, 
data-driven insights, the mechanism helps 
Member  States  assess  their  progress, 
pinpoint  strengths  and  weaknesses,  and 
drive 
The 
effectiveness  of  the  implementation  of 
the  Act  has  been  evaluated  from  a 
perspective,  acknowledging 
collective 
countries  when  they  achieve  their  best 
results.  This  approach  aligns  with  the 
broader  objective  of  assessing  the  Act’s 
success  based  on  the  EU’s  collective 
attainment  of  a 
level  of 
interoperability. 

certain 

Interoperability Monitoring 
Mechanism methodology 

The monitoring and evaluation of the Act 
follows  a  four-year  cycle,  complemented 
by annual reporting to track progress more 
effectively. The reporting frequency varies 
depending  on  the  type  of 
indicator 
described below. 

•  Output  indicators  are  reported  from 
the outset, as they reflect immediate, 
measurable results. 

•  Outcome  indicators  will  generally  be 
reported after a period of at least two 

years; this will allow sufficient time for 
meaningful 
to  emerge. 
changes 
However,  if  relevant  data  becomes 
available  earlier,  reporting  may  take 
place sooner. 

The initial monitoring phase will serve as a 
transitional  period  during  which  only 
partial  data  will  be  collected  since  the 
components  of  the  Act  will  be  rolled  out 
gradually. As a result, this phase will not 
cover  a  full  reference  year.  For  more 
resource-intensive  studies  or  indicators 
that  evolve  at  a  slower  pace,  reporting 
may  take  place  on  a  biannual  basis, 
depending  on  the  specific  needs  of  each 
study. This phased approach ensures that 
progress  is  continuously  monitored,  even 
of 
initial 
during 
implementation. 

stages 

the 

for 

The Interoperable Europe Portal serves as 
the authoritative source and central  data 
hub 
collecting,  managing  and 
publishing  monitoring  data  relevant  to 
Article 20. Users can explore data through 
an 
interactive  dashboard  and  access 
reports, visualisations and key metrics on 
cross-border  interoperability  for  detailed 
analysis. 

2 

 
 
 
SECTION 2: INTEROPERABILITY MONITORING MECHANISM: DATA COLLECTION 
ANALYSIS AND METHODOLOGY 

The five monitoring elements presented in 
Figure  1  below  form  the  foundations  of 
the 
Interoperable  Europe  Monitoring 
Mechanism. 

Figure 1 - Monitoring elements of Article 20 

These  five  elements  will  facilitate  the 
tracking  of  short- 
to  medium-term 
progress  while  also  supporting  evidence-
based evaluation of the Act. By assessing 
the  long-term  impact  of  efforts  and 
these  elements  will  ensure 
actions, 
alignment  with  the  multiple  reporting 
requirements outlined in Article 20. 

through 
The  elements  are  assessed 
indicators, which are further broken down 
into  outputs  (short-term)  and  outcomes 
indicators  were  co-
(long-term).  The 
designed  by  the  Joint  Research  Centre 
(JRC), DG DIGIT and the EU Member States 
through a two-year co-creation process to 
ensure  effective,  efficient  and  strategic 
monitoring 
on 
interoperability.  The  key  features  are 
outlined in Figure 2. 

progress  made 

of 

Figure 2 - Key features of the Interoperability 
Monitoring Mechanism 

Data  for  the  indicators  is  collected  in 
various  formats,  as  detailed  in  Figure  3 
below. 

3 

 
 
 
 
Figure 3 - Overview of elements and indicators 

4 

 
 
This  structured  approach  ensures  that 
monitoring  efforts 
remain  effective, 
proportionate and aligned with regulatory 
objectives  while  fostering  a  data-driven 
evaluation of interoperability progress. 

ELEMENT 1: PROGRESS OF TRANS-
EUROPEAN DIGITAL PUBLIC SERVICES 
CROSS-BORDER INTEROPERABILITY 
The  Element  1  output  indicator  captures 
the  cumulative  count  of  Trans-European 
Digital  Public  Services  (TDPS)  that  have 
undergone interoperability assessments. 

•  Public sector body type:  identifies the 
type  of  public  sector  body  submitting 
the interoperability assessment report.  

•  Public sector body geographical origin: 
identifies  the  country  of  the  public 
sector body. 

Additional  metadata  is  categorised  into 
the following four main areas. 

• 

variables 

Interoperability  assessment  reports: 
includes 
as 
interoperability  assessment  report  ID 
and  the  number  of  TDPS  affected  by 
the binding requirements. 

such 

•  TDPS:  classifies  TDPS  based  on  the 
function of government (COFOG)2 they 
life  event  they 
concern  and  the 
address. 

initiative, 

•  Binding requirements: details the type 
or  action 
of 
containing  the  binding  requirements, 
the  quantity  of  binding  requirements 
and the type of legal reference. 

project 

•  Effects  on  interoperability:  classified 
into four types – legal, organisational, 
semantic and technical. 

assessment 

It is important to note that the analysis is 
based  on  a  limited  dataset  –  only  three 
reports, 
interoperability 
covering  five  TDPS  –  which  restricts 
meaningful  comparative  or  aggregated 
insights. The findings should be viewed as 
a pilot exercise to test the feasibility of the 
indicator  and 
future 
refinement. Several data limitations affect 
the robustness of the results, including the 
absence  of  standardised  classifications 
for legal references, types of initiative, and 
TDPS  naming,  as  well  as  the  inability  to 
classify services by life event. Additionally, 
unstructured  data  fields  and  a  lack  of 

to  guide 

its 

and 

data 

collection 

The 
analysis 
methodology  involve  several  key  steps 
and considerations to ensure accurate and 
comprehensive results. The primary unit of 
analysis is the number of TDPS that have 
undergone  interoperability  assessments. 
The data is sourced from the assessment 
questionnaires  in  which  Member  States 
and  EU  public  sector  bodies  provided 
answers to various aspects of TDPS. 

The  essential  metadata 
includes  the 
variables  described  below  that  are  used 
for the analysis. 

•  TDPS  ID:  this  identifies  the  TDPS 
affected by the binding requirements. 

• 

Interoperability  assessment 
report 
publishing year: indicates the year the 
interoperability assessment report was 
published. 

2  Classification of the functions of government 

(COFOG) | Eurostat. 

5 

 
 
 
translation 
hinder automation and comparability. 

from  national 

languages 

Results 

eight 

total, 

TDPS 

In 
underwent 
interoperability  assessments,  resulting  in 
three  reports.  Three  of  these  services 
originated  from  Czechia  and  focused  on 
the implementation of: 

• 

• 

• 

the Single Digital Gateway 

the Once-Only Technical System 

the eID 

Five services originated in the EU and were 
submitted by the European Commission: 

•  vehicle registration 

• 

roadworthiness  of  vehicles,  including 
roadside inspection 

•  cross-border public services 

•  provision 

of 

cross-border 

infrastructure 

•  collection 

and 

publication 

of 

information. 

pertain 

‘system’ 

services  assessed 

The 
to 
education,  general  public  services  and 
public order and safety, reflecting an early 
focus  on  core  citizen-facing  functions. 
Across these assessments, all the binding 
requirements  identified  affected  ‘data’ 
Stakeholders 
and 
affected  by  the  binding  requirements 
within  one  of 
interoperability 
assessments span from local and regional 
authorities  to  national  bodies  and  EU 
institutions  and  agencies.  In  contrast, 
requirements  in  the  other  interoperability 
assessments  only  concerned  national 
public sector bodies. 

assets. 

the 

The  interoperability  effects  are  almost 
across 
uniformly 
interoperability  categories,  with  only 
organisational 
cross-border 

beneficial 

6 

impacts  marked  as 
interoperability 
negligible  for  the  binding  requirements 
assessed within one of the interoperability 
assessments.  All  assessments  conclude 
that  no  enduring  interoperability  barriers 
remain. 

ELEMENT 2: PROGRESS TOWARDS THE 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EIF BY 
MEMBER STATES 
The Element 2 output indicator measures 
the  percentage  of  Member  States  that 
have  formally  adopted  the  latest  version 
of  the  EIF,  reflecting  their  readiness  to 
implement interoperability across the EU. 

that  have 

Interoperability 

This  indicator  has  been  constructed  to 
ensure both continuity with past results of 
the  EIF  Monitoring  Mechanism  and  the 
Monitoring 
new 
Mechanism,  as  well  as 
future  EIF 
developments. It states the percentage of 
formally 
Member  States 
adopted  the  2017  version  of  the  EIF.  In 
addition,  a  breakdown  of  the  data  uses 
more  recent  Member  State  documents 
relating to EIF adoption. This ensures that 
national 
interoperability-related 
documentation  published  after  2023  is 
also  considered.  The  methodology  to 
construct this indicator incorporates three 
key considerations, as follows. 

Robust foundations 

First,  a  strong  baseline  has  been 
established  using  the  most  recent  EIF 
(from 
Monitoring  Mechanism 
2023),  particularly 
from  key 
performance  indicator  1  regarding  the 
extent to which strategies or frameworks 
take  the  EIF  into  account.  This  involves 

results 

those 

 
 
using  self-reported  data  from  Member 
States  on  their  alignment  with  the  2017 
version  of  the  EIF.  This  survey  data 
provides  the  foundation  for  a  2025 
baseline  derived  from  Member  State 
declarations,  enabling  a  comparative 
analysis of progress over time. 

Consideration of additional data 
sources 

Second,  the  methodology  captures  policy 
updates  while  transitioning  to  a  new 
monitoring  mechanism.  This  is  important 
since  all  Member  States  report  that  they 
have  formally  adopted  the  2017  version 
of  the  EIF.  This  means  that  a  simple 
adoption-based measurement can appear 
saturated. To mitigate this, relevant policy 
updates  and  additional  breakdown  data 
have been considered. Furthermore, as the 
this 
monitoring  mechanism  evolves, 
indicator will make a transition: from using 
only  Member  States’  self-reported  data 
under  the  EIF  Monitoring  Mechanism,  to 
State 
using 
documentation  as  the  key  data  source  – 
without  disregarding  the  self-reported 
data from the EIF data collection exercise. 

Member 

official 

For  the  2025  data-collection  exercise,  a 
desk  review  of  Member  State  policy 
documents  has  been  carried  out.  These 
updates have been included as additional 
breakdown  data  without  affecting  the 
overall  percentage  for  this  indicator.  By 
examining  such  policy  updates 
is 
possible  to  understand  the  way  in  which 
EIF  adoption  has  been  achieved  by  the 
Member  States  in  question,  including 
elements  such  as  the  implementation  of 
broad-ranging  national  policies,  national 
interoperability  mechanisms,  specialised 
interoperability 
or 
frameworks,  or  other 
interoperability 
policies and initiatives. 

domain-specific 

it 

7 

Future-proofing 

them 

Lastly,  this  methodology  aims  to  be 
future-proof,  in  view  of  the  planned 
release  of  a  new  version  of  the  EIF.  The 
indicator can be adapted in the future  to 
be  based  exclusively  on  official  Member 
State  documentation  updates,  potentially 
incentivising 
to  provide  policy 
updates on Interoperable Europe (IOPEU). 
Additionally, 
the  validation  of  other 
identified  documentation  can  be  carried 
out 
Public 
the 
through 
Digital 
factsheets  consultation 
Administration 
thus  making  best  use  of 
exercise, 
evidence-sharing  within 
the  wider 
activities of the Act. 

In summary, the units of analysis comprise 
self-reported  Member  State  adoption  of 
the EIF based on the 2023 survey results 
and  the  total  number  of  Member  States 
that have adopted the 2017 version of the 
EIF,  which 
is  then  expressed  as  a 
percentage. The data sources include  the 
count  of  Member  States  that  have 
reported  alignment  with  the  latest  EIF 
version,  alongside  formal  adoption  and 
policy  updates  by  document  type  from 
2023 to 2025. 

Results 

into 

adoption 

The indicators for the EIF offer significant 
insights 
and 
the 
implementation  of  the  latest  EIF  version 
across  Member  States,  providing  a 
comprehensive  overview  of  the  current 
state of interoperability efforts within the 
EU. 

As  mentioned  above,  all  Member  States 
have  formally  adopted  the  2017  version 
of  the  EIF,  resulting  in  a  100%  adoption 
rate across the EU. This indicates a strong 
commitment  to  interoperability  principles 
and  a  unified  approach  to  improving 
digital  public  administration.  It  is  also  an 
for 
important 

common 

baseline 

 
 
comparison  as  both  the  EIF  and  this 
indicator change through time. 

consistent  with  the  principles  outlined  in 
the latest version of the EIF. 

Additionally, 

interoperability 

The  adoption  of  the  EIF  occurs  through 
three  non-mutually  exclusive  pathways: 
frameworks, 
national 
domain-specific 
interoperability 
frameworks,  and  broader  national  digital 
strategies. 
other 
interoperability initiatives contribute to the 
formal  adoption  of  the  EIF.  As  of  2025, 
interoperability 
domain-specific 
frameworks  and  broader  national  digital 
strategies  are 
frequently 
published categories. For example, Greece 
and Spain have incorporated EIF principles 
into their national policies in this manner. 
Greece’s contributions primarily consist of 
interoperability 
domain-specific 
frameworks,  showcasing  a  focus  on 
sectoral interoperability governance, while 
Spain favours broader national strategies3. 

the  most 

Certain  Member  States  generate  a  high 
volume  of  updated  documentation, 
to 
indicative  of  deliberate  efforts 
progressively 
interoperability 
align 
strategies  with  the  latest  EIF  version 
following  the  EIF  Monitoring  Mechanism 
2023 survey. 

Within the broader EU 
context, most 
interoperability policy 
updates published 
between 2023 and 
2025 were domain-
specific 
interoperability 
frameworks (41.7%). 

Austria, 
Denmark, 
and  France 
a 
report 
greater  than 
average 
of 
share 
reviewed  or 
updated 
reflecting  a 
interoperability  policies, 
proactive  commitment  to  ensuring  that 
national policies remain both relevant and 

Element 

ELEMENT 3: TAKE-UP OF 
INTEROPERABILITY SOLUTIONS 
The 
indicator 
encompasses  the  aggregate  count  of 
are 
interoperability 
published on or connected to the Portal. 

solutions 

output 

that 

3 

The  analysis  focuses  on  the  output 
indicator  for 
interoperability  solutions 
accessible via the Portal. The nature of the 
solution  is  also  explored  in  terms  of  the 
year  of  analysis,  solution  origin,  type  of 
solution,  licence,  public  sector  category, 
compliance  with  standards, 
language 
availability,  and  additional  metadata 
provided  by  the  interoperability  solutions 
catalogue4. It is important to highlight that 
this indicator offers a specific but limited 
view  of  the  supply  of  solutions  in  the 
Portal in the short-term. This view will then 
serve  as  a  means  to  understand  the 
eventual  take-up  of  such  solutions  over 
the medium to long term. 

This indicator involves counting the active 
solutions present in the Portal’s solutions 
includes 
catalogue.  The  methodology 
assessing  compatibility  between  data 
fields  in  the  catalogue  and  indicator 
variables,  recoding  raw  data  fields,  and 
harmonising  data.  Two  types  of  variable 
are involved: those automatically retrieved 
from  the  raw  dataset,  and  recoded 
variables resulting from manual or semi-
automated data processing. 

3  Digital  Public  Administration  factsheets  -  2024  | 

4  Solutions | Interoperable Europe Portal. 

Interoperable Europe Portal. 

8 

 
 
 
indicator 

overview 

includes 
The 
geographical  origin,  organisation  type, 
language  availability, 
solution  source, 
aspect, 
interoperability 
targeted 
publication  and  latest  update  year.  The 
majority of solutions originate at EU level, 
with 
from 
significant 
individual EU countries. 

contributions 

Results 

An  analysis  of  the  geographical  origin  of 
active solutions within the Portal indicates 
that the majority (58.5%) originate at EU 
level. A significant proportion (38.9%) are 
attributed to individual EU countries, while 
a smaller  share  (2.1%) stem from  multi-
country  collaborations.  Only  0.6%  of  the 
solutions  could  not  be  classified  due  to 
incomplete  or  unavailable  information.  In 
total,  as  of  July  2025,  there  are  670 
active 
non-archived 
published 
solutions recorded in the Portal5. 

and 

The  ownership  of  solutions  is  primarily 
attributed to EU entities, which own 57.7% 
of  the  total  available  solutions.  Public 
sector bodies own 34.5% of the solutions, 
while  NGOs,  the  private  sector  and  other 
organisations  account  for  the  remaining 
7.8%.  Spain  holds  a  considerably  higher 
number of solutions compared with other 
nations.  Within  the  EU,  the  majority  of 
solutions  are  owned  by  EU  institutions 
(47.2%)  and 
interinstitutional  services 
(47.1%). Decentralised agencies and other 
EU bodies account for smaller shares. The 
European  Commission 
is  the  primary 
owner  within  the  EU  institutions,  holding 
91.8%  of  the  total  EU-owned  solutions. 
Within  the  Commission,  DG  DIGIT  owns 
92.8% of the solutions. These numbers are 
illustrated in Figure 4 and Figure 5. 

5  Solutions | Interoperable Europe Portal. 

9 

Figure 4 – Solution ownership by organisation type 

Figure 5 – Solution ownership by EU institution type 

The  majority  of  currently  available 
solutions were published in the last eight 
years,  with  a  peak  in  2019  (37.1%), 
followed by a high level of activity in 2020 
(13.7%).  Most  solutions  have  been 
updated in 2025, indicating strong recent 
and  ongoing  data  maintenance  activity. 
This  analysis  focused  on  non-archived 
solutions on the IOPEU Portal. 

a 

strong 

emphasis 

The distribution of non-archived solutions 
on 
shows 
organisational 
(305 
solutions)  and  semantic  interoperability 
is  followed  by 
(239  solutions).  This 
technical 
solutions 
cross-cutting 
interoperability 

supporting 
(109), 

interoperability 

 
 
 
 
aspects6  (92),  legal  interoperability  (28) 
and governance (25). 

Mapping focus 

ELEMENT 4: DEVELOPING OPEN 
SOURCE INTEROPERABILITY 
SOLUTIONS FOR PUBLIC SERVICES, 
FOSTERING INNOVATION AND 
COLLABORATING WITH GOVTECH 
ACTORS FOR CROSS-BORDER 
ELECTRONIC PUBLIC SERVICES IN THE 
UNION 
The Element 4 output indicator measures 
the  percentage  of  Interoperable  Europe 
support  measures  for  innovation  that 
involve  GovTech  cooperation,  including 
regulatory sandboxes. 

It is important to note that, at the time of 
writing,  the  Interoperable  Europe  Board 
has  not  yet  proposed  any  innovation 
implementation  by  the 
measures  for 
European  Commission; 
this  means 
Element  4  cannot  be  operationalised.  In 
the absence of such measures, the data-
collection exercise described below serves 
to enrich our understanding of the state-
the  European  GovTech 
of-play  of 
indicator 
ecosystem,  with  the  output 
focusing on GovTech cooperation and the 
outcome indicator focusing on open source 
solutions. The methodology for Element 4 
is  designed  to  provide  a  comprehensive 
understanding  of  the  European  GovTech 
ecosystem,  with  a  particular  focus  on 
cross-border 
interoperability 
considerations. 

and 

6  The ‘cross cutting solutions’ category is applied 
to  solutions  that  operate  across  multiple  EIF 
dimensions or do not fall neatly  into a single 
layer  –  for  example,  foundational  enablers, 

identifying 

The  mapping  of  the  GovTech  landscape 
initiatives  and 
focuses  on 
companies  with  explicit  interoperability 
and  cross-border  objectives. 
It  also 
examines  Commission-funded  projects 
that  address  GovTech  collaboration  in 
these  areas,  as  well  as  relevant  EU 
legislation 
research. 
Particular attention is given to data from 
the World Bank’s GovTech Enablers Index 
(GTEI), specifically to indicators relating to 
policies  supporting  GovTech  start-ups, 
for 
government-provided 
innovation,  and  procurement  policies 
prioritising bids from start-ups and small 
and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). 

financing 

scientific 

and 

Innovation measures 

it 

to 

as 

relates 

The 2025 data collection exercise focuses 
on  conducting  an  in-depth  analysis  of 
existing  GovTech  innovation  initiatives. 
This approach aims to provide a state-of-
the-art  understanding  of  the  GovTech 
landscape 
the 
interoperability  of  digital  public  services. 
The analysis seeks to construct contextual 
information  on  initiatives  that  promote 
GovTech  collaboration,  particularly  those 
with  cross-border  and 
interoperability 
contextual 
This 
considerations. 
information is also intended to support the 
Commission and the Board in considering 
potential future innovation measures. 

Data sources 

The mapping process is based on publicly 
available  information  and  involves  the 
selection 
legislation, 
Commission-funded  projects,  companies, 
and World Bank data that are relevant to 
interoperability  of  digital  public 
the 

initiatives, 

of 

registries  or  methodologies  that  support 
interoperability system-wide. 

10 

 
 
 
services  and  cross-border  aspects.  To 
maintain  a  clear  focus,  the  selection 
process is not exhaustive and deliberately 
initiatives  that  are 
excludes  GovTech 
unrelated to interoperability and the cross-
border dimensions of public services. 

which  highlights  policies,  financing  and 
procurement practices supporting GovTech 
start-ups. 

Results 

adopted 

for 
had 

analysing 
been 

At  the  time  of  data  collection,  no  formal 
GovTech 
taxonomy 
initiatives 
at 
Commission level. As a result, the project 
team  developed  an  ad  hoc  taxonomy 
tailored  to  the  objectives  of  the  context 
information  mapping.  This 
taxonomy 
builds  on  the  ongoing  work  of  the  Public 
(PSTW)7  project, 
Sector  Tech  Watch 
particularly  the  GovTech  Catalogue  of 
Initiatives8,  and  was  further  adapted 
based on the structure and availability of 
existing datasets. 

initiatives 

interoperability 

The  analysis  draws  on  a  variety  of  data 
sources  to  ensure  a  robust  and  well-
rounded  perspective,  including  the  IOPEU 
Portal9  and  the 
Interoperable  Europe 
Solutions Catalogue10, which offer insights 
into 
and 
solutions.  Additionally,  the  Interoperable 
Europe  Academy11  provides  valuable 
training  materials  and 
courses  on 
GovTech12,  while  the  JRC  contributes 
scientific 
the  GovTech 
ecosystem13. Further data is derived from 
the  Public  Sector  Tech  Watch14  and 
GovTech  Connect15  collections,  which 
catalogue start-ups and initiatives, as well 
as  the  World  Bank’s  GTEI16,  under  the 
broader  GovTech  Maturity  Index  (GTMI)17, 

studies  on 

integrating  technological 

Digital sovereignty 
means the EU’s ability 
to act independently in 
the digital world. It can 
be understood in terms 
of both protective 
mechanisms and tools 
to foster digital 
innovation. 

The  analysis  of  GovTech  efforts  across 
Europe highlights promising developments 
in 
innovation 
within  interoperability  objectives.  While 
these 
efforts 
have gained 
momentum 
recent 
in 
years, 
driven 
by 
the  COVID-
19 
pandemic 
and 
growing need 
for  digital  sovereignty,  it  is  important  to 
emphasise that the GovTech ecosystem is 
still  in  its  formative  stages.  The  Act’s 
support  helps  to  establish  GovTech  as  a 
concept  and  to  ensure 
its  sustained 
growth.  These  initial  strides  provide  a 
strong  foundation  for  further  integration 
with 
but 
continued efforts and robust data will be 
essential to fully realise its potential. 

interoperability 

initiatives, 

the 

Since 2011, the European Commission has 
actively  focused  on  interoperability,  with 
support for GovTech projects increasingly 
featuring  in  its  objectives.  Among  the 
initiatives  promoted  by  the  Commission, 

7  Public  Sector  Tech  Watch  |  Interoperable 

13 JRC  Publications  Repository 

|  European 

Europe Portal. 

Commission. 

initiatives 

8  Catalogue 

GovTech 
of 
Interoperable Europe Portal. 
9  Interoperable Europe Portal. 
10 Solutions | Interoperable Europe Portal. 
11 Interoperable Europe Academy | Interoperable 

| 

14 Public  Sector  Tech  Watch  |  Interoperable 

Europe Portal. 

15 GovTech Connect | Interoperable Europe Portal. 
16 GovTech Enablers | World Bank Group. 
17 Open  Knowledge  Repository  |  World  Bank 

Europe Portal. 

Group. 

12 Introduction  to  GovTech  and  the  GovTech 
Connect  Community  |  Interoperable  Europe 
Portal. 

11 

 
 
 
initiatives 

over  half  (52.9%)  are  structured  as 
platforms,  networks  or  communities. 
address 
These 
the  GovTech 
challenges 
marketplace – 10 of the initiatives are in 
this area – followed by public sector digital 
transformation and innovation. 

primarily 
to 

related 

leading 

consolidated 

The  mapping 
publicly 
available  information  as  of  March  2025. 
The  findings  highlight  notable  activity  in 
certain  countries,  with  the  Netherlands 
and  Estonia 
the  way,  each 
registering  four  documented  initiatives. 
Denmark,  Spain  and  the  UK  follow  with 
two initiatives each, while Austria, Finland, 
Ireland,  Lithuania,  Luxembourg,  Poland 
and Portugal each have one initiative. It is 
important  to  note  that  the  absence  of 
recorded initiatives in other countries does 
not necessarily indicate inactivity; rather, it 
lack  of  sufficient  publicly 
reflects  a 
available information at this stage of the 
mapping. 

In  addition  to  nationally-focused  efforts, 
several initiatives operate across multiple 
countries, demonstrating the collaborative 
nature  of  GovTech  efforts.  These  include 
the following: 

•  Open  &  Agile  Smart  Cities  (OASC)18, 
active  in  40  countries  across  Europe, 
North  and  South  America,  Asia  and 
Oceania; 

•  Open 

Government 

Partnership 
Standards19,  spanning  75  countries 
across  Europe,  Africa,  Asia, 
the 
Americas and Oceania; 

• 

International  Data 

the 
Spaces 
Association20, the geographic spread of 
which is not specified. 

Among the identified initiatives promoted 
by  European  countries,  GovTech  hubs  or 

labs account for the largest share by type 
(40%),  followed  by  European  Digital 
Innovation  Hubs, 
and 
incubators  (28%),  as  shown  in  Figure  6 
below. 

accelerators 

Figure 6 - European countries’ GovTech initiatives by 
type 

In  terms  of  target  challenges,  the  most 
common  focus  areas  are  public  sector 
innovation, 
digital  transformation  and 
addressed  by  12  initiatives,  followed  by 
efforts targeting the GovTech marketplace 
(seven initiatives) and start-up and scale-
up growth (six initiatives). 

The  selected  indicators  from  the  World 
Bank’s  GTEI  provide  further  insights  into 
the extent to which the EU Member States 
support  the  GovTech  ecosystem  through 
government-led  enabling  actions.  The 
results are described below. 

• 

Indicator  I-48,  which  assesses  the 
existence  of  government  policies  to 
support GovTech start-ups and private 
sector  investments,  shows  that  more 
than  80%  of  EU  Member  States 
implement  policies  in  support  of  the 
GovTech ecosystem. 

•  Sub-indicator  I-48.4,  which  explores 
the existence of funds for start-up and 
SME  innovation,  reveals  that  more 
than  76%  of  EU  Member  States 

18 Open & Agile Smart Cities. 
19 Open Government Partnership. 

20 International Data Spaces. 

12 

                                                                                                                                                                                                            
 
 
actively  support  start-up  innovation 
through financing. 

•  Sub-indicator  I-48.6,  which  describes 
the  presence  of  procurement  policies 
to incentivise bids from start-ups and 
SMEs, indicates that less than 20% of 
EU Member States implement specific 
at 
aimed 
policies 
procurement 
prioritising start-up and SME bids. 

findings  show  how  GovTech 
These 
development that can help support public 
sector  innovation  and  interoperability  is 
being  fostered  in  many  parts  of  the  EU. 
While significant progress has been made 
in  some  cases,  the  results  also  highlight 
areas  where  further  efforts  are  needed, 
particularly in terms of public procurement 
policies  that  may  need  to  be  adapted  to 
yield  the  benefits  of  cooperation  with 
GovTech. These initial insights also provide 
a  valuable  foundation  for  understanding 
the  current  state  of 
the  GovTech 
ecosystem  and  its  role  in  advancing 
interoperability  across  Europe  that  can 
also be tracked to offer context regarding 
the future monitoring efforts. 

ELEMENT 5: ENHANCED PUBLIC 
SECTOR INTEROPERABILITY SKILLS 
The Element 5 output indicator measures 
the  percentage  of  participants  who 
successfully  obtain  certification  upon 
completing  a  training  course  from  the 
Interoperable Europe Academy, relative to 
the total number of participants enrolled. 

The  methodology  involves  assessing  the 
availability and reliability of data from the 
Academy, 
Interoperable 
harmonising  data 
categories  across 
reports and operationalising the indicator. 

Europe 

13 

The certification rate  is  the proportion of 
participants  who  have  downloaded  a 
course  certificate  relative  to  the  total 
number  of  active  users  enrolled  in  the 
course. 

The data analysis covers the period from 
to  February  2025,  with 
April  2024 
September 2024 selected as the baseline 
month  based  on  an  assessment  of  data 
availability  and  reliability.  This  decision 
ensures  the  reliability  of  data  and  the 
accuracy of the analysis. 

The units used to measure the success of 
the training programmes include: 

• 

• 

total  number  of  users  who 

the 
engaged with the course; 

the  proportion  of  users  who  have 
downloaded a course certificate. 

Results 

The  courses  that  attracted  the  highest 
number  of  users  between  September 
2024  and  June  2025  were 
in  the 
‘Interoperability  Enablers,  Assessment, 
Best  Practices’  category,  with  18 693 
users  in  total,  3 235  of  which  completed 
In  contrast,  the 
all  course  activities. 
‘Technical 
category 
Interoperability’ 
recorded  the  lowest  engagement,  with 
only 77 total users and 18 completions. 

Most curriculum categories showed stable 
total learner numbers through the months 
analysed.  However,  the  ‘Interoperability 
Enablers,  Assessment,  Best  Practices’ 
category  saw  a  significant  change  from 
October 2024 (11 416 users) to November 
2024 (13 054 users). Another big change 
‘Semantic 
in 
was 
Interoperability’  category,  which  saw  an 
increase  in  total  users  from  1 154  in 
September  2024  to  2 332  in  October 
2024. 

observed 

the 

 
 
Figure 7 - Certification rate by month 

of 

in  the 
Despite  significant  differences 
absolute 
certificates 
number 
downloaded across curriculum categories, 
the  number  of  downloaded  certificates 
remained  relatively  stable  across  the 
months analysed. The curriculum category 
‘Interoperability  Enablers,  Assessment, 
Best  Practices’  was  an  outlier:  it  saw 
slightly  more  variation  in  the  number  of 
downloaded certificates, particularly from 
October  2024 
(2 329  certificates)  to 
November 2024 (2 414 certificates). 

The preliminary results indicate that while 
there  are  stable  trends  in  certification 
rates  and  user  engagement,  certain 
curriculum  categories  exhibit  notable 
degrees of variation. 

The  completion  rates  across  curriculum 
categories also showed stable trends, with 
some  exceptions.  Between  October  2024 
and  November  2024,  the  ‘Concept  of 
Interoperability’ category saw a significant 
increase  in  the  number  of  users  who 
completed all activities (from 234 to 459 
‘Interoperability 
users).  Similarly, 
Enablers,  Assessment,  Best  Practices’ 
category  saw  an 
in  users 
completing  all  activities,  from  1 451  in 
September  2024  to  1 618  in  October 
2024. 

increase 

the 

Between  September  2024  and  February 
2025, the average certification rate across 
all  courses  was  19.6%.  However,  there 
was  a  steady  decline  in  the  certification 
rate  over  this  period,  as  illustrated  in 
Figure 7. This decline can be attributed to 
a procedural modification implemented in 
January  2025,  which  required  users  to 
complete  all  course  activities  to  obtain  a 
certificate. Before this change users could 
download  certificates  without  completing 
of  April  2025, 
all  activities.  As 
downloading 
remains 
voluntary. 

certificates 

14 

 
 
 
 
SECTION 3: THE FUTURE OF MONITORING 

The integration of medium-term and long-term insights into the annual monitoring 
mechanism aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the level of interoperability 
in the EU, thus supporting effective policymaking and targeted interventions that drive 
continuous improvement in European digital public services. 

This section considers the future development of the Annual Report on Interoperability in the 
EU, presenting the planned monitoring of mid- to long-term indicators and trends across the 
Member States, as more data is made available for analysis.

OUTCOME INDICATORS
For each monitoring element, two indicators 
-  short-term  and  mid-to-long-term  -  are 
envisaged.  The  short-term  indicators  are 
presented  above.  The  long-term  indicators 
(outcome indicators) have not been initiated 
in this year’s monitoring activities in order to 
allow  evidence to become available and  to 
mature sufficiently to provide a meaningful 
longer-term  effects  and 
analysis.  The 
changes  are  expected  to  be  covered  in  the 
next  edition  of  the  Annual  Report  on 
Interoperability  in  the  EU.  The  following 
chapter  provides  a  brief  overview  of  the 
purpose  of  each  outcome  indicator,  the 
frequency  of  data  collection  and  the 
expected  data  sources.  It  is  important  to 
note  that  this  chapter  is  not  supported  by 
empirical  evidence  but  rather  presents  the 
expected vision for  the medium- and long-
term monitoring of outcomes that follow on 
directly from the outcome indicators, raising 
awareness of how progress will be tracked 
and  where  community  and  governance 
priorities may lie. 

ELEMENT 1: PROGRESS OF TRANS-
EUROPEAN DIGITAL PUBLIC SERVICES IN 
THE UNION 
The outcome indicator for Element 1 focuses 
on  the  percentage  of  TDPS  that  have 
resolved interoperability barriers. This metric 
serves as a key means to gauge progress in 
overcoming 
semantic, 
technical, 
organisation  or  legal  barriers  that  hinder 
seamless digital cooperation across Member 
States and EU entities. 

The purpose of this indicator is to evaluate 
how  effectively  interoperability  challenges 
are  being  addressed  and  to  what  extent 
practical,  sustainable  solutions  are  being 
implemented.  A  growing  percentage  over 
time  would  reflect  successful  collaboration 
and  alignment  among  public 
sector 
stakeholders, as well as the effectiveness of 
and 
EU-level 
initiatives. 

interoperability 

policies 

primary 

Data for this indicator will be collected on a 
biannual basis starting in 2026, providing a 
regular  progress  check  on  ongoing  efforts. 
The 
be 
interoperability  assessment  reports,  which 
include  key  details  such  as  the  publication 
year  of  each  assessment,  the  reporting 
public body or EU entity and the resolution 
status of identified interoperability issues. 

source  will 

data 

By  tracking  this  metric  over  time,  this 
indicator aims to identify: 

•  which areas of the digital public service 

ecosystem can be improved; 

• 

the pace at which interoperability issues 
are being resolved; and 

15 

 
 
 
 
•  variations 

in  performance  between 

• 

Member States and EU entities. 

identify  Member  States 
effectively 
integrated 
national digital governance practices; 

that  have 
into 

the  EIF 

Once  the  data  collection  begins,  initial 
reporting  is  expected  to  highlight  both 
persistent barriers and early success cases, 
offering  valuable  insights  to  help  shape 
future  action  plans  and  skills  development 
efforts. 

•  highlight areas where further support or 

guidance may be needed; and 

• 

reveal  patterns  across  services  that 
report  no  barriers  and  those  that  do 
report barriers. 

ELEMENT 2: PROGRESS TOWARDS THE 
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EIF BY 
MEMBER STATES 
The  outcome 
indicator  for  Element  2 
examines the percentage of TDPS that have 
reported  no 
interoperability  barriers  to 
implementation,  offering  a  direct  measure 
of how effectively the EIF is being applied in 
practice across Member States. 

The  purpose  of  this  indicator  is  to  assess 
whether  the  EIF  is  serving  its  intended 
function, which is to anticipate and mitigate 
interoperability barriers before they impede 
the  delivery  or  scaling  of  digital  public 
services.  Given  that  the  interoperability 
assessment  process  uses  the  EIF  as  a 
reference  point,  services  that  report  no 
barriers  suggest  successful  alignment  with 
the framework’s principles and guidelines. 

This  data  will  be  collected  annually  from 
2026 and will be taken from interoperability 
assessment  reports.  Each  report  captures 
details such as the year of the analysis and 
the  Member  State  of  origin,  allowing  for  a 
comparative  view  of  progress  across 
jurisdictions. 

By  tracking  this  indicator  over  time,  it  is 
expected that it will be possible to: 

In  theory,  a  growing  percentage  of  TDPS 
with  no  reported  cases  of  interoperability 
barriers  would  reflect  not  only  maturity  in 
digital  service  design  but  also 
the 
widespread institutionalisation of the EIF as 
a strategic tool for cross-border cooperation. 
Wide  and  appropriate  application  of  the 
interoperability  assessments  and 
the 
creation of these reports  with cases facing 
no barriers will be essential for this indicator 
to be of high quality. 

ELEMENT 3: TAKE-UP OF 
INTEROPERABILITY SOLUTIONS FOR 
DIFFERENT PUBLIC SERVICES ACROSS 
MEMBER STATES 
The outcome indicator for Element 3 is the 
Interoperable Europe Solution take-up index, 
expressed  as  a  percentage.  This  index 
provides  a  quantitative  measure  of  the 
extent  to  which  Member  State  public 
administrations are adopting and integrating 
available interoperability solutions into their 
digital public services. 

The purpose of this indicator is to generate 
insights into the real-world use and practical 
implementation 
solutions 
catalogued  under  the  Interoperable  Europe 
initiative.  By  categorising  and  analysing 
levels  of  uptake,  the  index  helps  to  assess 
whether  public  bodies  are  fully  leveraging 

existing 

of 

16 

 
 
 
shared tools, frameworks and services – or 
whether  additional  promotion,  guidance  or 
adaptation  may  be  necessary  to  improve 
adoption rates. 

To minimise additional reporting burdens on 
stakeholders,  the  indicator  relies  primarily 
on data that can be extracted from existing 
processes  and  resources. 
In  particular, 
insights derived from user behaviour within 
the  Portal  will  be  incorporated,  giving  an 
to  monitor  solution  usage 
opportunity 
patterns with minimal manual input. 

Data  collection  will  occur  annually  from 
2026, drawing on two primary sources: 

• 

• 

the Interoperability Solutions Catalogue, 
availability, 
document 
which  will 
downloads and reuse claims; and 

the interoperability assessment reports, 
which  provide  context  and  qualitative 
evidence  of  the 
implementation  of 
solutions, including reuse documentation 
and 
specific 
interoperability assessments identifiers. 

references 

to 

Over  time,  an  upward  trend  in  the  take-up 
index will signal increasing digital coherence 
and efficiency within the EU public sector, as 
well as growing trust and reliance on shared 
interoperability assets. 

ELEMENT 4: DEVELOPMENT OF OPEN 
SOURCE INTEROPERABILITY SOLUTIONS 
FOR PUBLIC SERVICES, PUBLIC SECTOR 
INNOVATION AND COOPERATION WITH 
GOVTECH ACTORS 
indicator  for  Element  4 
The  outcome 
measures the percentage of interoperability 
innovation  measures  that  result  in  open 
source solutions. This indicator captures the 
extent to which innovation efforts within the 
public  sector  may  lead  to  transparent, 
reusable and collaborative digital  tools  –  a 
service 
key  enabler  of 
interoperability, public sector modernisation 
and GovTech engagement. 

cross-border 

The  index  reflects  multiple  dimensions  of 
take-up, such as: 

• 

frequency of downloads; 

•  number  and  distribution  of  declared 

reuse cases; and 

•  depth  and  quality  of 

supporting 
documentation  provided  by  adopting 
entities. 

Monitoring this indicator will support several 
goals: 

• 

recognising  high-performing  solutions 
that are widely reused across the EU; 

•  detecting  underused  solutions  with 
potential for broader application; and 

• 

informing targeted outreach or technical 
adjustments to improve accessibility and 
integration. 

The purpose of this indicator is to evaluate 
the tangible outcomes of investments aimed 
at  improving  cross-border  interoperability 
and  fostering  innovation  within  the  public 
sector.  It  provides  insights  into  how  these 
efforts  contribute  to  the  development  of 
open  source  solutions,  which  are  essential 
for  improving  service  design,  delivery  and 
performance.  Additionally, 
indicator 
to  which  public 
reflects 
in  collaborative 
administrations  engage 
innovation, 
including  partnerships  with 
GovTech  actors,  to  address  interoperability 
challenges 
and 
through 
reusable digital tools. 

the  extent 

transparent 

the 

17 

 
 
Data  for  this  indicator  will  be  collected 
annually  from  2026,  using  information 
available via the IOPEU Portal. This includes 
data points such as: 

•  year of analysis; 

• 

• 

the nature and scope of each innovation 
measure; 

the  type  of  development  (e.g.  tool, 
platform, module); and 

•  participants 

involved, 

including 

the 

presence of GovTech actors. 

This indicator aims to shed light on: 

• 

the  degree  to  which  interoperability 
innovation is shared openly and widely; 

•  how  often  open  source  approaches  are 

chosen over closed models; and 

• 

the  level  of  external  collaboration  with 
start-ups,  SMEs  and  other  GovTech 
actors. 

An increase in the  proportion  of innovation 
measures  leading  to  open  source solutions 
would  indicate  a  growing  commitment  to 
transparent,  scalable  and  adaptable  public 
service  delivery.  It  also  reflects  alignment 
with EU values around openness, trust and 
digital sovereignty. 

By tracking this indicator, policymakers and 
public  sector  leaders  will  gain  valuable 
insights into how innovation translates into 
shared digital infrastructure – and whether 
ecosystems are effective in fostering public-
private  cooperation  to  build  future-ready 
solutions. 

ELEMENT 5: ENHANCEMENT OF PUBLIC 
SECTOR INTEROPERABILITY SKILLS 
indicator  for  Element  5 
The  outcome 
measures 
IOPEU 
Academy-certified participants who perceive 
a 
their 
interoperability  skills.  This  metric  is  crucial 

the  percentage  of 

enhancement 

significant 

in 

for  understanding  the  effectiveness  of 
training  programmes  designed  to  build 
capacity  within  the  public  sector  workforce 
feedback.  Without 
through  stakeholder 
understanding  training  outcomes,  it  is  not 
possible  to  track  the  extent  to  which  skills 
are developing. 

The  purpose  of  this  indicator  is  to  inform 
improvements  to 
decisions  on  whether 
initiatives  are 
training 
education  and 
needed,  with  the  aim  of  strengthening  the 
workforce’s ability to anticipate, tackle and 
prevent 
problems.  By 
gauging  the  development  in  the  perceived 
skills  of  participants  and 
collecting 
qualitative 
feedback,  policymakers  can 
better  tailor  learning  opportunities  to  meet 
changing needs. 

interoperability 

Data  collection  for  this  indicator  will  take 
place  annually  from  2026,  using  surveys 
conducted  with  certified  participants  of 
IOPEU  Academy  courses.  These  surveys 
capture both quantitative measures of skill 
enhancement  and  qualitative  insights  into 
the learning experience. 

for  effective 

The  monitoring  of  this  indicator  over  time 
will  aim  to  help  ensure  that  public  sector 
professionals  are  equipped  with  the  skills 
interoperability 
required 
governance and implementation. Ultimately 
this  will  contribute  to  more  resilient  and 
connected digital public services across the 
EU.  It  could  also  help  us  understand  the 
extent  to  which  a  shared  understanding  of 
interoperability  is  emerging  across  public 
administrations in the EU. 

18 

 
 
 
 
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE 

in 

indicators, 

The present edition of the Annual Report on 
Monitoring 
focuses  on 
the  Union 
including 
describing  outcome 
their  purpose,  frequency  and  data  sources. 
This  work  represents  an  early  stage  in  the 
policy  process.  While  short-term  output 
indicators  provide  valuable  insights  into 
initial achievements and activities, they lay 
the  groundwork  for  understanding  the 
implementation of the Act across the EU. By 
contrast, outcome indicators aim to measure 
deeper, sustained impacts, such as resolving 
fostering 
barriers,  adopting 
innovation  and  improving  workforce  skills. 
As  data  collection  for  these  outcome 
indicators is scheduled to begin in 2026, this 
report does not yet provide empirical results 
or identified trends for them. 

solutions, 

in 

result 

Methodological refinement will be essential 
to  operationalise  monitoring 
indicators. 
Current limitations, such as gaps in publicly 
available  sources,  may 
the 
underreporting  of  policy  updates.  Future 
iterations  of the report  will aim to address 
these challenges. A phased approach to the 
development of indicators and the review of 
the monitoring framework is planned, with a 
revision of the data model in 2025 enabling 
the  collection  of  more  structured  datasets 
Improvements, 
onwards. 
from  2026 
including 
controlled 
vocabularies and interoperability scores, will 
improve  data  granularity,  quality  and 
comparability  while  reducing  the  need  for 
manual data handling. Based on the output 
from this first data collection exercise and a 
discussion  with  the  Board  scheduled  for 
December  2025,  the  indicators  could  be 
improved by revising or even replacing them. 

variables, 

new 

European 

The  data  collection  exercises  conducted  to 
date remain a valuable source of insight into 
the 
ecosystem, 
particularly  during  the  initial  stages  when 
formally  adopted  innovation  measures  are 
limited  in  scope.  As  the  Board  introduces 

GovTech 

landscape.  Monitoring 

such  measures,  the  methodology  will  be 
adapted  to  capture  their  impact  on  the 
development  and  evolution  of  the  EU’s 
GovTech 
the 
development of open source interoperability 
solutions  for  public  services  will  require 
alignment  with 
innovation 
activities, ensuring that solutions developed 
or  tested  through  sandboxes  are  fully 
reflected in future reporting. 

the  Act’s 

public 

burden 

elements 

to  monitor 

Efforts 
sector 
interoperability  skills  will  benefit  from  a 
more systematic and data-driven approach. 
Streamlining  data  formats  and  metrics, 
automating 
and 
reporting 
participation 
cumulative 
introducing 
indicators  will  provide  robust  insights  into 
training  uptake  and  outcomes  while 
on 
reporting 
the 
reducing 
stakeholders.  Participant 
feedback  will 
complement  numerical  data,  offering 
contextual 
deeper 
evaluation and engagement. The expansion 
of courses offered through the Interoperable 
Europe  Academy  and  the  reuse  of  training 
materials by Member States will strengthen 
public  sector  skills.  Increased  engagement 
within the Interoperable Europe Community 
will  further  contribute  to  building  a  skilled 
and  interoperable  public  sector,  enriching 
the  evidence  base  for  future  monitoring 
activities. 

information 

for 

Addressing current data limitations, such as 
the  lack  of  standardised  classifications, 
structured  reporting  fields  and  multilingual 
consistency,  will  be  critical  for  reliable 
operationalisation  and  automation  of 
indicators.  Future  data  collection  rounds 
should  aim  to  improve  comparability  and 
through 
reduce  manual 
improvements 
interoperability 
assessments questionnaire and data model. 
Additional data sources, including metadata 
such  as  links  to  previous  assessments, 
identified  Interoperable  Europe  solutions, 

processing 
the 

to 

19 

 
 
and  documented  interoperability  barriers, 
could  support  a  more  comprehensive  and 
interconnected  approach 
indicator 
development and analysis. 

to 

emerging 

alignment  with 

The monitoring will also continue to evolve 
in 
policy 
developments  and  digital  trends,  including 
data  spaces  and  artificial 
intelligence. 
Synergies with other European Commission 
initiatives,  such  as 
the  Open  Source 
Observatory, the EU Open Source Solutions 
Catalogue,  the  European  Data  Portal,  and 
the  European  data  spaces,  will  enrich 
monitoring  activities  and  provide  a  more 
complete  overview  of  the  adoption  of 
interoperability solutions across the EU. 

scheduled  for  January  2028,  which  will 
provide  a  foundation  for  assessing  its 
impact  and  effectiveness.  As  the  dataset 
grows and outcome indicators begin to yield 
empirical  results,  future  editions  of  the 
Annual Report will include detailed analyses 
of  trends.  These  analyses  will  examine  the 
barriers and drivers influencing both output 
indicators,  offering  a 
and  outcome 
comprehensive 
of 
interoperability  dynamics.  By  integrating 
insights  on  factors  that  facilitate  or  hinder 
progress,  future  reports  will  support  more 
targeted 
effective 
continuous 
measures 
improvement  in  European  digital  public 
services. 

understanding 

policymaking 

drive 

that 

and 

The  Act  and  its  monitoring  framework 
contribute to broader initiatives, such as the 
Digital  Decade  and  Single  Digital  Gateway 
Once-Only Technical System, and reviews in 
that  policy  context  may  be  informed  by 
Article 20. This Annual Report will form part 
of the baseline for the evaluation of the Act, 

this  work  underscores 

the 
Ultimately, 
importance of interoperability efforts to the 
European  project,  contributing 
the 
modernisation,  simplification  and  digital 
transformation  of  public  services  and 
fostering a more connected, innovative and 
efficient EU. 

to 

20