1. Countries lack to identify a solid basis of trust and mutual recognition.

Pilot tests indicate that ACROSS is capable of bridging this gap, aiding the Administrations responsible for cross-border services in enhancing mutual trust and recognition.

ACROSS creates an ecosystem of stakeholders which can help countries that are unable to identify a solid basis of trust and mutual recognition in several ways. First, by creating the ACROSS platform, it enables collaboration and information-sharing.

The evidence gathered during the Pilot tests show that there is a wide consensus among the Pilot cases participants about the Platform capability to help administrations in charge for the cross-border services in establishing a mutual sense of trust and improve cooperation between member states involved in the cross-border services provision.

Projects can foster a sense of trust and cooperation among the stakeholders, including government agencies. This cooperation can help to build mutual understanding and acceptance of each other's needs, concerns, and perspectives. Additionally, by identifying and addressing specific challenges and barriers to cross-border services, the project can help to establish a more solid basis of trust and mutual recognition between countries.

The establishment of ACROSS ecosystem provides a framework for countries to work together on common issues and to learn from each other's experiences. It also gives stakeholders an opportunity to engage in dialogue and to exchange best practices, helping them to build greater mutual understanding and cooperation between countries,  which in turn, can help to build trust and mutual recognition between countries.

Evidence from Pilot Cases shows the capability of ACROSS Platform to improve the information sharing process among EU Member States governments in charge for cross-border services. 

The ACROSS platform significantly streamlines cross-border processes for administrations, surpassing current practices in effectiveness and efficiency, thereby simplifying procedures for users. It also minimizes the amount of information users need to provide to complete a service and reduces the number of public entities users must engage with.

However, the adoption of ACROSS Platform would be facilitated by the establishment of the ACROSS Ecosystem which would help governments in leveraging the ACROSS Platform to devise and implement outreach strategies to various stakeholders. This integration forms a matrix of complementary and occasionally competing services, compelling the adoption of open standards for interoperability as for Gap #3. 

ACROSS platform can help making the cross-border processes more automated and streamlined. Public administrations are working on interoperability at the national level to interact with all local administrations, there is work in progress however, a lot of effort should be given to extending the level of interoperability at the European level. Governments must address interoperability issues, which can be divided into three primary levels: technical, organisational, and semantic. Technological factors are a prominent barrier to achieving interoperability between member states and delivering data sovereignty for citizens. 

Pilot cases have demonstrated that employing the ACROSS Platform significantly facilitates improvements. During the testing phase, the platform was shown to enhance the efficiency of cross-border processes. Additionally, it was found to reduce the overall number of interactions required and expedite the collection of necessary information for completing cross-border procedures, outpacing traditional online and offline methods.

Thus, the implementation of the ACROSS Platform is poised to do more than just reconcile technical disparities; it is also capable of facilitating Member States in harmonizing administrative practices and organizational cultures. The platform effectively tackles the lack of uniform organizational protocols, such as standardized forms, procedures, and contact details, which currently elevate the administrative burdens and cognitive load associated with understanding procedures for public officials, businesses, and the citizens they serve.

ACROSS adoption could enhance the use of digital technologies such as eID and digital wallets. Unfortunately, access to any public administration service requires strong authentication using the ID as the base. Without an ID, ACROSS will provide access only to a very limited set of services. However, there are alternatives that allow online registration by video calls, if the public administration accepts to be registered, so has been done in ACROSS.

Pilot cases show a positive evaluation of the Platform capability to improve the on-line access to the services than the current practices.

Moreover, evidence from technology indicators show the positive judgment of participants to the Pilot case in the capability of the Platform to help administrations to exploit digital innovations such as the eID and digital Wallets.

Pilot cases demonstrate that utilizing the ACROSS Platform increases users' trust in public administrations by enhancing their sense of safety and security when submitting personal data. Through the Personal Data Framework provided by ACROSS the user can decide which personal data or credentials are shared as well as tracking if they have been used by the service provider in the way it was meant to. Across supports user control of their data, also towards public authorities. User data should not be shared with public authorities without the explicit request of the user, and users should always be able to review the information before it is shared with public authorities. This should help to prevent or at least diminish Function creep.

Pilot cases provide clear evidence about this capability of the Platform and all the Pilots’ participants agree that the Platform helps citizens in handling their personal data in an easier way.

The results of the impact assessment found that some users are not fully confident of the capability of the Platform to enhance citizens’ control over their personal data when utilizing cross-border services. To facilitate broader adoption of the Platform across EU Member States, it is advisable to undertake comprehensive communication and demonstration initiatives addressing the needs and cultures of users of every single MSs during the exploitation phase.

ACROSS solution adoption could also contribute to accelerate the digitalization processes of public sector.  The need of semantic interoperability to assure the provisioning of seamless digital public services is addressed by the Interoperable Europe Act. The European Commission ISA2 programme worked on reducing barriers that currently hinder the adoption of an EU-wide solution for the cross-border transfer of representation information, highlighting the lack of a common semantic framework. 

Feedback from pilot cases reveals that 84% of trial participants are inclined to recommend ACROSS to colleagues or friends, showing a high interest in adoption ACROSS Solution.

Implementing features like the Service Catalogue and Adapters meets various service description needs through the use of semantic formalization and standardized vocabularies.

Analysis of results from the three pilot cases shows general agreement with the impact indicator's statement, particularly among German and Greek participants. However, the Latvian response rate was marginally below the >75% threshold. This suggests a need to further cultivate the ACROSS ecosystem by encouraging the exchange of knowledge and best practices and design dedicated communication efforts as well, aiming to expedite the adoption of the solution, especially in less digitally advanced EU Member States. 

ACROSS enhance the trust towards and between institutions in the public and private sector. Administrations are currently implementing the Once-Only Principle (OOP), launched in 2024, aims at bolstering trust between public institutions. 

Regarding Gap #1, trial feedback indicates widespread agreement among participants during the experimental phase that ACROSS has the potential to enhance trust between public administrations engaged in cross-border processes, as well as between governments and service users.

Additionally, trial outcomes suggest that ACROSS could create new business opportunities for service providers and expand their customer base. This perspective is particularly strong among German and Greek participants, in contrast to notable skepticism from Latvian respondents. Given this feedback, it is recommended implementing all suggested technical improvements for the Platform as outlined. Moreover, deploying effective communication and demonstration strategies is essential for ensuring the successful adoption and utilization of ACROSS.

ACROSS helps people to have control to their personal data and increase the transparency about their data processing.  It is imperative to provide a governance framework for personal data (including electronic documents) that gives the citizen the ability to decide to whom their data will be shared and for what purpose their information is used. Users should be able to grant, deny or terminate access to their data with equal ease, in a sufficiently granular manner to enable effective control. In short, they become the sovereign of their personal data. 

ACROSS governance framework should comply with the GDPR and the Data Governance Act. 

Through the Platform, users are informed through a Privacy Policy about the way in which their data will be processed, the recipients of their personal data, the retention periods, their data subject rights, etc. With regards to their data subject rights, users should be able to access, amend, correct and/or always delete their data, and to be able to obtain a copy of it. This has been done through data subject rights interfaces in the ACROSS Platform. 

As described for gap #5, participants to the Pilot cases agree about the capability of the Platform to improve the sense of control of citizens over their personal data when using online cross-border services as well as their perception of the extent to what the Platform help the citizens in handling their personal data in an easier way. Moreover, the citizens participating to the Pilot cases perceive that the Platform is safer than the current data management practices of cross border services as well as the Capability of the Platform to help in facilitating the use of the data that is strictly necessary to complete the process.

This perspective is highly accepted among German and Greek participants, in contrast to Latvian respondents which slightly disagree with a score just below the thresholds of the Impact Indicators listed above. Given this feedback, it is recommended to implement all suggested technical improvements for the Platform as outlined. Moreover, deploying effective communication and demonstration strategies is essential for ensuring the successful adoption and utilization of ACROSS.

ACROSS support the interaction also with the non-EU system. The EU is working on their identity systems, that preserve its values in terms of privacy. This does not preclude the participation of non-EU companies.

Same considerations of identified Gaps #1, #2, #3, #4, #6 and #7.

ACROSS promotes the adoption of digital innovation for cross-border services and support the adoption of digitalization of public services. 

There are no "off the shelf" and widely accepted metrics or frameworks to evaluate the implementation of disruptive technologies for cross-border services. Policymakers and public sector managers should always consult with experts from the eGovernment field before making investments and choosing the appropriate technology. 

The impact assessment results illustrates how adopting ACROSS can help bridge the identified gap. Specifically, TEC_01 and TEC_02 reveal a broadly positive view of the Platform's ability to ease the integration of new technologies and its enhanced capacity to leverage emerging digital technologies, thereby hastening digital transformation efforts.

The great usability of ACROSS verified through Pilot tests allows to support users, including day commuters to work and/or study abroad, also by using ACROSS mobile applications. Policymakers can take several steps when developing an app for cross-border services to improve the process for everyday commuters who work and live in neighbor countries in the EU. 

First, policymakers can involve stakeholders such as commuters, businesses, and government agencies in the design and development of central platforms or apps to ensure that it addresses the specific needs and challenges faced by cross-border workers. This involvement can include conducting user research and testing to gather feedback on the app's usability and effectiveness. 

Second, policymakers can ensure that the app is designed to be user-friendly and accessible to all, including those with disabilities or those who may not be proficient in the local language. This process can contain providing support for multiple languages and implementing accessibility standards. 

Third, policymakers can work to integrate the app with existing systems and services such as transportation, social security, and tax systems to make it as seamless as possible for commuters to access the information and services they need. 

Fourth, policymakers can also ensure that the app is secure and respects users' privacy, by implementing robust data protection measures and ensuring compliance with relevant EU regulations. 

Finally, policymakers can also work to promote the app and educate commuters on its features and how to use it, to ensure that it reaches the target audience and is effectively used.

The positive results given by the usability Impact Indicators from USA_01 to USA_08 provide clear evidence of the capability of the Platform to bridge this gap. Moreover, the capability of the Platform to support people with their intention to work and/study abroad is confirmed by the overall score of EMP_02. The wide consensus about the Platform is confirmed by the “overall satisfaction” Impact Indicator that reports high degree of satisfactions registered among the participants to the experimental phase of each Pilot and overall. Finally, the perceived degree of the Platform’s easiness of navigation through mobile phones (USA_08d) is also a clear demonstration of the capability of ACROSS to bridge this gap.

The ACROSS Platform enhances the user journey, significantly facilitating access to cross-border services. When designing these services, it's imperative to account for the varied profiles of potential users, considering their distinct needs and requirements. The diversity in user backgrounds necessitates thorough user research, particularly focusing on the different degrees of digital literacy. The GOV_06 indicator illustrates the high level of willingness among stakeholders involved in the pilot cases to endorse user-journey methodologies that ease the use of cross-border services.

Evidence from several impact indicators suggests that the Platform can effectively address these challenges. Particularly for gap #13, usability impact indicators uniformly reflect the Platform's positive role in helping users easily navigate cross-border services. Features like the Virtual Assistant (VA), the high-quality information provided by the Platform (USA_06c), and the use of clear, understandable language (USA_08a) coupled with a straightforward and engaging visual design (USA_08b) are all acknowledged for significantly mitigating this gap.

Feedback from pilot participants overall praises the Platform's usability. However, regarding the VA feature, German users have expressed minor reservations about its current quality. Prior to the Platform's broader deployment in specific EU Member States, it is suggested to organize targeted sessions with potential users and experts to specifically address and resolve this concern.

ACROSS meets the needs of the citizens when using cross-border services and facilitate in understanding the process to study and/or work abroad. Extensive user research helped to get an understanding of which steps, hurdles, and pain points citizens face when they move across borders. In ACROSS, the team built a user journey methodology aimed at recreating the journey that citizens undertake in preparation for and during their move. This methodology consisted of a series of guided interviews in each of the pilot countries. 

The results were collected in a template which allowed for comparison between the countries. This gave insight into the different parts of the citizens’ journeys. Here again it is essential to include people from the wide socio-economic, educational, ethnic, gender, and ability spectra.

As highlighted for Gap #15, the ACROSS solution receives strong acceptance from both users and providers, a fact underscored by the Impact Assessment findings. These findings illustrate how ACROSS adoption effectively addresses the identified gaps, notably referenced in the GOV_06 results.

Feedback from the testing phase indicates a significant consensus, with 93% of trial participants affirming that the ACROSS Platform reduces the time users spend on accessing cross-border services. Furthermore, a majority of respondents recognize the Platform's role in helping users more easily understand the procedures needed to pursue educational and employment opportunities abroad, surpassing current methodologies (GOV_01). 

ACROSS Platform and its VA are effective in supporting the usability of the platform and combining English and local languages in a more effective ways to facilitate the access to on-line cross—border services. 

The first set of recommendations focuses on ensuring that the VA can understand and respond to a wide range of languages and dialects and that it can provide accurate and up-to-date information and services. This understanding comprises of implementing machine translation for all EU languages, providing resources and support for users who may have difficulty understanding or communicating in the local language, and regularly reviewing and updating the assistant's language capabilities. 

Final version of ACROSS overcome this gap. The impact assessment results shows a shared agreement that VA really help users overcoming language barriers; moreover, participants agree that the ACROSS Platform uses an easy-to-understand language. 

The second set of recommendations focuses on ensuring the Virtual Assistant (VA) is both accessible and user-friendly for all users, in alignment with relevant EU regulations. Adopting a user-centered approach involves collaborating with government agencies and public service providers to verify the accuracy and currency of the information and services the VA offers. It also entails monitoring and evaluating the VA's usage and effectiveness, alongside establishing mechanisms for user feedback and reporting. Impact assessments conducted across three Pilot sites have shown progress in addressing this gap. However, the score obtained from German participants for USA_04 highlights the need for improvements in the VA's quality. Feedback from Germany suggests there is potential for enhancing VA services. To address this, we recommend conducting dedicated user requirement sessions with potential users and experts prior to the Platform's deployment in any EU Member State.

The Impact Assessment methodology applied in the Pilot cases has proven to be effective in evaluating the impacts of cross-border services on both users and providers. Policymakers are encouraged to actively engage with various stakeholders involved in these services to co-develop metrics, thereby selecting the most relevant Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for assessing the impact of cross-border services across different categories. It is important to note that there is no universal, "ready-to-use" impact assessment framework available.

The Impact Assessment framework designed for evaluating the use of ACROSS has demonstrated its utility in assessing criteria such as Usability, Accessibility, Efficiency, Effectiveness, Trust, and Adoption of cross-border services through specific KPIs. We advocate for the adoption of this Impact Assessment Framework in conjunction with the ACROSS Platform to enable ongoing monitoring of its impacts and to provide feedback for the enhancement of cross-border services.