Defining a common approach to electronic document and file exchange

2016.26 Interoperability agreements on electronic documents and electronic files

When is this action of interest to you?

You are a European public administration that needs to save costs and reduce the administrative burden. Defining common interoperability agreements in relation to the electronic documents and the electronic files will contribute to this objective.

What is this action about?

Administrative activity is distinguished by its documentary character, in the sense that the administrative documents are evidence of their activity and the external form of such acts.

The need to establish some guidelines for interoperability in the exchange of electronic documents is assumed, well known and it is key for interoperability in a context in which the object of exchange is frequently the electronic document and not just the data it contains.

What are the objectives?

Development of a common approach to electronic documents and to electronic files
An interoperability agreement for electronic documents, defining a common approach describing e-documents, including content, e-signatures, and minimum required metadata, and the rules to exchange them
An interoperability agreement for e-Files would define a common approach to the structure of e-files, including e-documents, e-indexes, e-signatures, and minimum required metadata, and the specifications to send them and make them available.

What are the benefits?

Greater efficiency in establishing European Public Services
Reduction of administrative burdens

What has already been achieved?

The action will continue to provide to interoperability-related projects the service to develop XML schemas, based and common standards including ISA Core Vocabularies. For 2019 in particular, another cooperation with DG Justice is planned to create XML schemas for the e-Evidence project. In addition, the action will continue to work on tools and analyse XML schemas (and potentially other interoperability agreements) developed in Member States.

The part of the action focusing on the usability and requirements for a generic EU form generator will continue in 2019-2020 in developing the generic EU form generator as confirmed by the 2019 feasibility study.

What are the next steps?

The action will continue the work on tools and analysis of XML schemas (and potentially other interoperability agreements) developed in EU countries.