SDSA to launch new cross-border system: facilitating administrative services for citizens and businesses

Access the originial article(opens in a new tab) | Published on 6 March 2025

The State Digital Solutions Agency (SDSA) in Lithuania is taking an important step towards the modernisation of digital services by introducing the Once-Only Technical System (OOTS), an innovative cross-border solution that will make it easier for citizens and businesses to access public services across the EU. The main objective of the system is to reduce bureaucratic burdens, automate the exchange of documents between institutions and cut redundant paperwork.

Until now, citizens have had to collect, translate, notarise and submit documents to different institutions to access a cross-border service. The OOTS will completely change this process by transferring data directly from the official registers, which will not only save time but also ensure data accuracy and security.

Lukas Savickas, Minister of the Economy and Innovation, underlines that Lithuania is one of the most active countries in joining the OOTS and sees this initiative as a very important one, both nationally and at European level.

"Lithuania is firmly on the path of digital transformation, and the implementation of this system is a strategic solution for building a modern, efficient and citizen-friendly state. It will reduce bureaucratic burden and allow people to access cross-border services faster, while also strengthening the digital market," said the Minister.

How does the Once-Only Technical System work?

The Once-Only Technical System ensures that all the necessary data is transmitted directly and securely between national registers and competent authorities across the European Union.

For example, if a Lithuanian citizen decides to study or start a business in another EU country, he or she will no longer need to collect certificates, translate documents or have them notarised. Simply apply and the necessary data - such as a diploma, a business registration extract or a declaration of residence - will be automatically transferred from Lithuanian registers directly to the foreign authority processing the application.

This system will also be of particular benefit to the diaspora - Lithuanians living in other EU countries - as they will be able to access Lithuanian state services more easily at a distance. Lithuanian citizens living abroad will no longer have to physically visit Lithuanian institutions or seek local notaries to authenticate documents - all the necessary data will be digitally transferred. This will facilitate processes such as obtaining birth, marriage or education documents, registering a business, dealing with social security and other procedures that often need to be carried out when living abroad.

Stages of OOTS implementation in Lithuania

The Once-Only Technical System is planned to be fully operational in Lithuania in spring 2026. However, the first practical solutions will be implemented as early as 2025:

• From April 2025, the LAMA BPO service will be connected to the OOTS system, so that citizens of other EU countries will no longer have to manually submit proof of education to study in Lithuania. Documents will be automatically transferred from their national registers directly to the Lithuanian admission system.
• Also, from April 2025, the State Enterprise Centre of Registers will connect the population register data to the OOTS, which will allow for faster and smoother cross-border administrative procedures related to population registration, residence permits and other important documents.

Tomas Misevičius, Head of the SDSA, says that the OOTS is an important development not only for Lithuania, but also for the whole of Europe.

"Our goal is to create a smooth and efficient data exchange system that will not only reduce the bureaucratic burden but will also allow the institutions to work in a more coherent way, providing faster and better quality services to residents. The OOTS will enable institutions to exchange information in real time, thus avoiding unnecessary paperwork and duplication. This is an important step towards digitising public services and strengthening citizens' trust in public systems", says Tomas Misevičius, Director of the State Digital Solutions Agency.

Lithuanians around the world are already waiting for the OOTS

Aurelija Orlova, who has been living in Italy for 10 years and working in Lithuania, points out that there is a website called "Your Europe(opens in a new tab)", which can help you find out what documents you need to submit from one country to another. And while the pandemic has improved the situation regarding issuing and delivering documents to other countries, there is room for improvement.

She believes that OOTS would ease bureaucratic processes when a person lives and works in several EU countries and data would be transferred in real time through certain interfaces.

"I am currently volunteering at the Board of the World Lithuanian Community and I often have to advise foreign Lithuanians on how to obtain a certificate about one or other information contained in Lithuanian registers in order to present it to the institutions of their country of residence. Currently, some of these certificates can indeed be ordered electronically, but there are problems with ordering and picking up documents. Although the certificates are prepared relatively quickly, they have to be collected from the office in Lithuania or go directly to the Lithuanian Embassy. In all cases, the process takes time, and, in the end, the documents still have to be delivered in person to the institutions in the EU countries. The implementation of the OOTS would considerably speed up and optimise these processes," believes Ms. Orlova.

International event in Vilnius

“Europe Goes Once-Only - Lithuania Edition(opens in a new tab)" will be an international event in Vilnius, Lithuania, on 3 and 4 of April 2025, bringing together national authorities, technical experts and policy makers. The event will showcase best practices in the deployment of the OOTS, offer workshops and discussions on digital cooperation in the EU. This event is organised under the auspices of the SDSA, the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation of the Republic of Lithuania and the European Commission.