Essentially, therefore, Public Administrations need to ensure that they do not run the risk of creating isolated digital environments that may impede them from seamless mutual coordination and from having completeness in data and service. This will ultimately impair the ability for European citizens and businesses alike to be able to easily identify and avail of digital public services in EU Member States, other than in their own country. Hence the need for the digitalisation of public administrations to be performed in a coordinated manner on a national and European level so as to ensure the establishment and running of fully interoperable systems across the Member State borders.

The Interoperable Europe Act, which has entered into force on 11 April 2024, is a key legal instrument aimed at strengthening cooperation around interoperability among Member State Public Administrations and EU bodies. It enables them to effectively share data, information and knowledge across borders through digital processes. The Act’s underlying premise is its clear recognition that interoperability cannot be attained by technical means alone but that it also requires harmonisation in terms of established processes and inter-organisational agreements, data descriptions, data exchange rules as well as in having a structured and long-term cooperation framework. Hence the introduction of new or revised rules, standards or specifications (legally termed as ‘binding requirements’) impacting and influencing such means of cross-border interoperability in digital public services across the EU are expected to trigger the need of an interoperability assessment.  The Act’s obligation to perform such Interoperability Assessments has come into effect as from 12 January 2025. The Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA) as the Government-appointed National Competent Authority (NCA) and single point of contact for the Act’s implementation is responsible to oversee and coordinate the conduct and reporting of results of the Interoperability Assessments. The documented outcomes of an Interoperability Assessment are subject to review by the Interoperable Europe Board. The Board, which is also established by the Act itself, brings together representatives from all EU Member States and the European Commission and aims to steer a common interoperability approach. As part of this effort, MITA as the national representative appointed by Government to form part of the Board, seeks to push forward Malta’s digital strategic priorities towards the Interoperable Europe Agenda.  

The Interoperable Europe Act and its supporting tools and instruments are the start of an accelerated process for improved interoperability across the EU. They are ultimately expected to lead to an emerging network of digitally interconnected Member State Public Administrations and EU bodies, that work in close collaboration together, to foster innovation and enable holistic economic and social developments across the Union, in line with its digital goals for 2030 and beyond.