Study supporting the final evaluation of the ISA² programme is now available

ISA² supported the development of digital solutions and promoted public sector interoperability between 2016 and 2020. This independent Study supports the final evaluation of the programme and helps inform future measures in the field of interoperability, particularly the implementation of the Digital Europe Programme. 

The Study was performed between September 2020 and June 2021 and considered seven evaluation criteria: relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, coherence, EU added value, utility and sustainability. The analysis is based on primary data collected from 102 stakeholders who replied to the targeted or public consultation, as well as secondary data such as publicly available sources, operational documents, policy documents and relevant literature in the field of interoperability. In addition, five independent expert assessments complemented the analysis.

Main results

Throughout its existence, the ISA² programme brought benefits across multiple areas, contributing to developing and supporting digital solutions, frameworks and specifications to enhance the interoperability of public services in the EU. Given the ambitions of the EU’s digital agenda for the coming years, it is essential to build on the achievements of ISA² and improve on the shortcomings in order to ensure that the ambitions are met.

The programme, through its objectives, remained relevant in the context of evolving needs and problems. Several needs have become more relevant, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the need for coordination when implementing digital solutions.

The main achievements of ISA² consist in the support to the implementation of EU policies and actions through interoperability solutions, the facilitation of the re-use of interoperability solutions, and the contribution to the promotion of a holistic approach to interoperability in the EU. The programme responded to the need of public administrations for common interoperable tools, helping public administrations mitigate their budgetary constraints to a certain extent through the solutions provided. Click here to read the full study.