Joinup publishes a great many case studies, showcasing eGovernment projects around the European Union. These reports often focus on lessons learned, emphasising the results and the main benefits and impacts of implemented eGovernment solution. Below you can find the ten most-read case studies in 2015.
Andalusia provides messaging services for 4 euro (!) per user per year
The Regional Government of Andalusia in Spain has been using mail systems based on open source software since 2001. The main driver behind this was cost, the study quotes Juan Conde, Chief of Staff for the Promotion of Free Software at Junta de Andalucía. “Exchange for many tens of thousands of users is breathtakingly expensive.” Their work follows the decades-old Unix way: you make small things that perform simple tasks, and then you assemble them as needed. “The economic gains relative to proprietary solutions must be huge. Vendor proposals ended prematurely when we mentioned that our present costs were around 4 euro per user per year”, Conde says.
Online portal mobilises public to increase transparency of Italian government
Italy’s Transparency Compass is an online portal that enables visitors to automatically analyse and monitor Italian government websites for compliance. Both citizens and public agencies can evaluate, compare and rank public websites, and see how a site develops over time. The system can also be used by policy makers and administrators to answer questions about particular sections of their public websites. The portal accompanies public agencies on their way toward total transparency, making the system particularly important in measuring the level of transparency of an administration with regard to the prevention of, and the fight against, corruption.
LocalBox: secure file storing and sharing for public servants and citizens
Six Dutch public agencies have developed an alternative to cloud-based services for file storage and sharing. LocalBox software allows agencies to set up local systems for public servants as well as citizens to use. Confidentiality is protected by end-to-end encryption and publication under an open source software license.
eProcurement: Belgium deploys a two-system platform for eSignature
The Belgian government has deployed a digital procurement service that allows Belgian and foreign companies to submit tender bids and sign documents electronically. This eSignature system is based on a platform developed internally by the Belgian Federal ICT Department and is paired with the Belgian eID. An optional system relies on open source software developed by the European Commission, named DSS - for Digital Signature Service.
e-Prior: electronic procurement system for public administrations
e-Prior is an eProcurement system that facilitates standardised eProcurement document exchanges between public administrations and suppliers across Europe. It was originally developed by the EC's Directorate General for Informatics, responsible for delivering the digital services to enable EU policies and to support the Commission's internal administration) and is now used by almost all the Directorates General. The Belgian federal government is the first to implement a national version of e-Prior, named the Mercurius Platform. Full digitisation of public procurement can contribute significantly to improving the overall efficiency of public expenditure.
Interoperability in Croatia: the e-Citizens project
The e-Citizens project unifies Croatia's citizens' access to eGovernment services. It was launched by the Croatian Government in order to modernise, simplify and speed up communication between citizens and public administration, enhance user-centricity and increase the transparency of the public sector in providing public services.
How 17 French ministries joined forces to support free software
Seventeen French government ministries are working together to support free software through an agreement designed to reduce costs and advance the use of free software in administrations. The support contract operates through a ticketing system. It includes a detailed classification of software, and a schedule for the reduction of support costs based on the popularity of individual versions of applications.
Latvia’s e-index - National eGovernment benchmark for state institutions and municipalities
Latvia’s e-index is the first national-level initiative helping state and municipal institutions evaluate their digital development, assess the necessary approaches and provide solutions for a more efficient development. The index also helps identify the best examples implemented by other institutions, thereby enabling the exchange of experience and motivating the further development of the digital transformation.
Data-boxes – Easy, Economic, and Environmentally-Friendly Delivery of Official Documents
The Datove Schranky / Data Boxes are an electronic archival system that facilitates communication between citizens, businesses, and public administration bodies in the Czech Republic. The system’s web interface replaces the traditional exchange of printed documents, such as submitting tax returns, and allows for immediate access from any Internet-connected computer. The technical specifications of the system are publicly available, and applications for mobile devices are offered by third parties. The use of the system is mandatory for the state administration and legal entities, and citizens may choose to set up a data box of their own. In that case, the state administration is obliged to use the data box when communicating with them.
Cl@ve: Unifying and Simplifying Identification for Spanish Online Public Services
Cl@ve is alternative for the existing online identification methods used by Spain’s public administration, into a single solution deployed throughout the Spanish e-Administration for national, regional and local online services. Cl@ve has already been deployed and is being used in several departments throughout the country. Cl@ve is mandatory for national online services, which will have to adopt Cl@ve before the end of 2015, and is open to be used by regional and local online services if the public bodies responsible for those services choose to do so.