What is the EU’s plan for achieving GovTech interoperability?

In April, Europe will mark two years since it launched the Interoperable Europe Act, which aims to increase interoperability among digital public services and to ease cross-border data exchange between public administrations across the EU. A part of this effort is the Interoperable Europe Agenda, which outlines actions to be taken in 2026.

The agenda identifies several priorities, including developing data standards and a wide set of solutions. Stakeholders have proposed work on standards for data exchange formats and protocols, as well as an EU GovTech Stack as a shared toolbox for digitizing the EU’s public sector.

Another task will be supporting EU Member States in implementing the Interoperable Europe Act. This includes introducing guidelines for interoperability solutions and interoperability assessments conducted by the European Commission. Another task is adopting more open-source solutions and EU-hosted platforms to boost digital sovereignty.

“GovTech initiatives emerge as pivotal in addressing challenges linked to public-private collaboration in cross-border interoperability as well as to foster innovation,” says the document. “The establishment of interoperability regulatory sandboxes is seen as a clear support measure to facilitate experimentation and testing.”

The agenda also recommends collaboration between national and EU programs and initiatives. One of them is the Apply AI Strategy, which brings AI-driven interoperability solutions to the public sector.

Finally, the EU plans to raise more awareness about the funds available to achieve all of these plans. The Digital Europe Work Programme 2025-2027, for instance, supports Multi-Country Projects (MCP) on innovative and connected public administrations. Proposals for the 6 million euro funding are to be submitted by mid-May.

The Interoperable Europe Agenda was published by the European Commission in December as part of the first Annual Report on Interoperability in the Union. The report focuses on achievements made up to July 2025.

The EU already has  successful examples of interoperability in practice, such as EMREX, a system that enables the secure cross-border data exchange for students. Since the launch of the initiative, the Commission has also established an Interoperable Europe Board, a body that brings together representatives from member states and the Commission to steer implementation and align national efforts on digital public infrastructure.

Another milestone is the Interoperable Europe Portal, which now serves as the bloc’s central hub for interoperability resources, including guidelines, assessment tools and training materials.

On the regulatory front, Brussels has adopted an implementing act on interoperability regulatory sandboxes, creating a legal pathway for member states to trial digital solutions under real-world conditions.

Since January 2025, interoperability assessments have become mandatory for all new or significantly upgraded trans-European digital public services. Member states and EU institutions are now required to apply standardised assessment guidelines, ensuring that cross-border data exchange is built into projects from their earliest stages.

The Commission has also established the Interoperable Europe Community, a collaborative platform that brings together GovTech actors, local and regional governments, academic institutions, and civil society organisations. The Interoperable Europe Academy has also recorded more than 12,000 new enrolments, equipping civil servants and technical experts with new competencies on redesigning digital services.

Article Topics

cross-border data sharing  |  data exchange platform  |  digital government  |  digital identity  |  EU  |  government services  |  interoperability