Once-Only Technical System: the first EU-wide cross-sectorial and cross-domain dataspace!
The Commission welcomes the swift political agreement reached at Member States’ level on the adoption of the Once-Only Technical System (OOTS) Implementing Regulation. As of the end of 2023, the OOTS, the first EU-wide cross-sectorial and cross-domain data space, will streamline cross-border online procedures by allowing citizens and businesses to supply the same data to public authorities only once.
Thierry Breton, Commissioner responsible for the Internal Market, said: “This is a much-awaited step for an effective Single Market without digital barriers. With the Once-Only Technical System, we are now better equipped than ever to improve the life of European citizens and companies and increase the Single Market's effectiveness by significantly reducing red tape.”
Today, an increasing number of Europeans need to complete procedures online in another Member State. For example, citizens make the necessary arrangements before moving to another Member State (changing address, registering a car, requesting a birth certificate, etc.), and companies offer services and hire employees in countries across the EU.
Because of a lack of interoperability and digital barriers between Member States, citizens and businesses still face significant difficulties in cross-border situations. Thanks to the OOTS, eGov websites and Authentic Sources of information from public authorities across the EU will be able to automatically exchange official documents and data at citizens’ and businesses’ request.
The adoption of the OOTS Implementing Regulation marks a key milestone moving towards a cross-domain and cross-border dataspace. The OOTS will be a reusable template for other dataspaces that require data to flow securely within the EU. In fact, this system will become a keystone in creating a common European dataspace, simplifying the life of citizens and business, contributing to a more efficient Single Market.
Background:
In line with the commitments of the 2030 Digital Compass, the Commission aims to overcome digital barriers by pursuing a human-centric, sustainable vision for the digital society, creating a best-in-class European digital environment. At the heart of this vision lies the Once-Only Technical System, the first EU-wide dataspace;
The OOTS operates within the Single Digital Gateway Regulation framework, a multifaceted European initiative that strives to create a cross-border digital infrastructure. In this context, the OOTS pursues simplifying online cross-border procedures across Europe alongside other initiatives, such as the YourEurope portal. Whereas this portal provides valuable information about online public services available in each Member State and associated administrative procedures, the OOTS will connect public authorities across the EU, so they can exchange official documents and data at the citizens’ request. In other words, it will make interoperability possible across EU’s authentic data sources in a citizen-centric way.
For more information a factsheet and video are available online.