Maria Leek is a Policy Officer in DIGIT's Interoperability and Digital Government Unit. She joined the team in September 2022 and has since played a pivotal role in negotiating and implementing the Interoperable Europe Act. With a background in research and innovation policy and firsthand experience of Estonia’s digital transformation, Maria brings both expertise and a practical perspective to her work.
In this interview, Maria, who supports the Interoperable Europe governance, discusses the purpose and responsibilities of the Interoperable Europe Board. She highlights its critical role for the Act’s implementation, and sheds light on main areas of focus for the year ahead.
Q: Maria, could you briefly introduce yourself?
A: I joined the Interoperability and Digital Government team in September 2022. Since then, I’ve been deeply involved in the Interoperable Europe Act, especially as it moved into its final validation stages and subsequent negotiations. Starting these negotiations in November, I quickly understood how important this Act is for Member States, local authorities, and the European Commission's digital future. In the EU’s digital landscape, the Act is truly a connector, playing a vital role in building a more integrated and efficient digital ecosystem across Europe.
I have a background in research and innovation policy, which connects closely with my interest in public sector innovation. As an Estonian, I’ve experienced firsthand how seamless, proactive digital services can improve lives.
Q: For those who don’t know much about the Interoperable Europe Act, can you very briefly explain what the Act aims to achieve?
A: The Interoperable Europe Act is all about creating seamless digital public services for citizens and businesses across Europe. Imagine a future where administrative tasks—like registering for VAT or accessing life event-based services – can be done effortlessly, anywhere in the EU. For citizens, this means greater ease in navigating services. For businesses, especially those operating in multiple EU countries, it reduces time wasted on repetitive administrative processes.
Ultimately, the Act aims to simplify and speed up interactions with public services. How does it achieve this? By embedding interoperability into the foundational stages of policy and service development. The Interoperable Europe Board will ensure the steering of this effort and the Community the active engagement of all stakeholders.
Q: What is the role of the Interoperable Europe Board and why is its first meeting on the 5th of December important?
A: The Interoperable Europe Board is strategically important as it acts as the gatekeeper for all major decisions under the Act. For instance, it will develop the Interoperable Europe Agenda and shape the next European Interoperability Framework (EIF). What sets this Board apart is its composition: high-level representatives from each Member State and three observers—from the Committee of the Regions, the EU Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), and the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre. The Board is chaired by Veronica Gaffey, Director-General for DG DIGIT.
The first meeting is a critical milestone, marking the operational launch of the Act’s governance structure. It will set the tone for how Member States and the Commission collaborate to build a digitally interconnected Europe.
Q: What are the first responsibilities of the Board as it starts its work?
A: One of the Board’s first and most crucial tasks is to adopt the Guidelines for Interoperability Assessments, which will become mandatory for public administrations in January, 2025. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, these guidelines are meant to help Member States and EU institutions adapt the mandatory assessments to their specific organisational practices.
Additionally, the Board will begin work on the Interoperable Europe Agenda and the update of the European Interoperability Framework (EIF). The Interoperable Europe Agenda is especially significant because it sets the strategic direction for interoperability across Europe and translates this vision into concrete actions. This involves identifying necessary solutions, policy support measures, and the types of synergies and collaboration needed with other digital and sectoral policies, as well as newly established boards in other EU digital regulations.
Updating the EIF is another key responsibility. The current version, from 2017, remains a reference model for designing interoperable public services. It outlines core principles and layers that remain relevant. However, the evaluation of EIF in 2022 highlighted the need for the framework to be more practical and action oriented. The update will aim to offer clearer, actionable guidance for effective implementation.
"The Interoperable Europe Act is all about creating seamless digital public services for citizens and businesses across Europe. Imagine a future where administrative tasks—like registering for VAT or accessing life event-based services – can be done effortlessly, anywhere in the EU. For citizens, this means greater ease in navigating services. For businesses, especially those operating in multiple EU countries, it reduces time wasted on repetitive administrative processes."
Q: How will the Board work with different stakeholders, such as public administrations, businesses, and the Interoperable Europe Community?
A: The Board will work closely with the new Interoperable Europe Community established under the Act. This community will provide expertise and feedback directly from practitioners, local authorities, and citizens. With the Community’s input, the Board will gain a deeper understanding of bottom-up needs and opportunities, informing its recommendations for interoperability solutions. We plan to open registration to the Community early next year.
Additionally, the Board will collaborate with other recently established boards and expert groups in the digital realm, such as the European Data Innovation Board. This collaboration is important to ensure that the different digital initiatives complement each other and contribute to a seamless digital ecosystem across the EU.
Q: You’ve mentioned the interoperability assessments several times. What are the steps to go through an assessment?
A: Interoperability assessments are one of the main obligations of the Act, perhaps even the most critical. They should be seen as a discovery journey for public administrations to identify barriers and opportunities for cross-border interoperability, ultimately facilitating the implementation of digital public services that rely on cross-border data exchange.
These assessments ensure that interoperability considerations are integrated early in the policy-making process, preventing them from becoming an afterthought, as it is often the case now.
First, you need to ask yourself if an assessment is even necessary. This depends on whether the service you’re developing involves binding requirements that impact cross-border interoperability. For instance, if you’re working on a mobile app for a local public service, like a parking app for a single municipality, then you don’t need to perform an interoperability assessment. It’s only required for services that involve cross-border data exchange.
The next step is to identify the binding requirements that impact the interaction with public authorities in other EU countries or at EU level. These typically stem from legislation, but they could also be found in procurement documents. For instance, legislation may require the development or integration of information systems or other digital solutions, such as APIs.
Once you’ve identified the binding requirements, the next thing to do is map out the stakeholders. This includes end-users, like citizens or businesses, and other public authorities involved in data exchange. Getting everyone’s input ensures the service meets their needs.
Then, look at the existing interoperability solutions available. Is there something already out there that you can reuse? It’s always better to reuse a solution than to reinvent the wheel—it saves both time and resources.
Finally, once everything is done, you need to publish your findings in a report. This step is essential because sharing what you’ve learned builds knowledge and helps other public administrations improve cross-border interoperability beyond just one project.
"One of the Board’s first and most crucial tasks is to adopt the Guidelines for Interoperability Assessments, which will become mandatory for public administrations in January, 2025."
Q: There will be tools to support these assessments. Can you elaborate on what will be available?
A: Yes, there will be a set of tools. Our priority is developing an online tool to submit assessment reports via the Interoperable Europe Portal. In the mid-term, we’re also exploring tools to help carry out the assessments themselves. For instance, tools might help automatically identify binding requirements or evaluate interoperability impacts with the support of the EIF. However, none of these tools will be mandatory to use. They’re meant to assist and will remain optional for the administrations.
Q: What kind of governance or decision-making process will the Board follow to address challenges and track progress in implementing the Act?
A: The Act requires the Commission to monitor the progress regarding cross-border interoperability of trans-European digital public services. This monitoring supports evidence-based policymaking, helping us track progress and identify challenges or barriers to implementation. The Board will play a key role in shaping the indicators used for this monitoring. Our aim is for monitoring to go beyond being a technical exercise - it should inform the Board’s strategic discussions, drive improvements in cross-border interoperability, and contribute to the EU’s Digital Decade targets.
This approach ensures that all stakeholders keep their commitments, that there’s transparency about progress, and that we remain accountable to our citizens, the European Parliament, and the Council, to whom we will submit the monitoring reports.
Q: As one of the key figures in the policy team, Maria, what does an interoperable Europe mean to you?
A: I’m a very practical person, so for me, an interoperable Europe is about making cross-border services a reality that people can use seamlessly in their everyday lives. It means eliminating the semantic, legal, or technical barriers that hinder effective collaboration between countries and institutions. I’m particularly keen on seeing real, practical use cases where interoperability enhances efficiency and accessibility of cross-border services.
Achieving this requires strong, coordinated efforts between Member States and the European Commission. The Interoperable Europe Board plays a crucial role in realising this vision, ensuring that Member State efforts are aligned, common project implemented and that we build a truly interconnected digital Europe.
"Interoperability assessments are one of the main obligations of the Act, perhaps even the most critical. They should be seen as a discovery journey for public administrations to identify barriers and opportunities for cross-border interoperability, ultimately facilitating the implementation of digital public services that rely on cross-border data exchange."