Context
Crisis-response sharing refers to the rapid access, deployment, and sharing and reuse of interoperability solutions in situations requiring urgent, coordinated action across borders, sectors, and administrative levels. Crises such as pandemics, natural disasters, or large-scale security incidents demand immediate access to reliable digital tools able to support real-time information exchange, coordination, and continuity of public services. Although the Interoperable Europe Act does not establish specific obligations for crisis‑response activities, the sharing and reuse of interoperability solutions to communicate and share data in a secure and efficient way have proven to be critical enablers of resilience.
The COVID-19 pandemic illustrated the value of this approach, as public organisations across Europe relied on shared digital solutions to support remote education, health information, and emergency communications. Initiatives such as the European Commission’s Digital Response to COVID-19 Collection on the Interoperable Europe Portal illustrates how open and reusable solutions were mobilised. Similar needs arise during natural disasters, where authorities rely on digital twins and geospatial mapping tools to understand evolving conditions and coordinate action.
This scenario highlights how public organisations can apply the principles and mechanisms of the Interoperable Europe framework to crisis contexts, drawing on the practices of publication (Pathway 2), direct sharing (Pathway 3), and adaptation (Pathway 4), as appropriate.
Applying this scenario in practice
Crisis contexts place particular emphasis on urgency, operational readiness, and the ability to deploy or reuse solutions rapidly. Public organisations may benefit from maintaining pre-approved templates, repositories, and protocols that allow for quick mobilisation of digital tools. Solutions stored in centralised repositories, such as the Interoperable Europe Portal, are easily accessed and kept up to date, facilitating rapid reuse.
To ensure unrestricted sharing and reuse, open standards and solutions without restrictive licensing terms should be prioritised, as they are available without restrictive licensing and can be adapted quickly to new situations. Because crises frequently involve cross-border or multilingual coordination, the rapid translation of documentation or user interfaces can support effective deployment in diverse linguistic and cultural contexts.
Clear activation mechanisms also support timely response. These may include identifying predefined triggers, such as the declaration of a state of emergency, and designated contact points who coordinate communication and access to shared solutions. Real-time communication and secure data-sharing tools support coordinated decision-making and resource allocation across participating authorities.
Given the sensitivity of data shared during crises, cybersecurity and data protection safeguards must be considered. Reused solutions should be assessed for security vulnerabilities, and appropriate measures should be taken to protect sensitive information. In some contexts, existing administrative processes – for example, around licensing or procurement – may allow for accelerated procedures, provided that applicable legal frameworks permit such flexibility.
Finally, after a crisis subsides, public organisations may engage in post‑event evaluation to identify successful practices, areas for improvement and opportunities to strengthen future readiness. Lessons learned can inform updates to catalogues, templates and repositories, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of future crisis‑response efforts.
