Enterprise Commissioner Erkki Liikanen said: "IDA is the backbone of the European Union's effort to provide modern eGovernment services in the EU. By joining the programme, Accession Countries demonstrate their commitment to use pioneering technology to provide such services to their citizens".
Signing the MoU entitles countries to participate in the IDA Programme on the same terms as countries from the European Economic Area, and they will also contribute to IDA's € 25 million (Lm10 million) annual budget. Services available to IDA participants include dedicated software, technical guidelines and interoperability frameworks for implementing eGovernment solutions. The focus of these services is on secure and efficient electronic data exchanges between the different levels of public administration. They are an essential support to the speedy implementation of modern eGovernment solutions, as foreseen in the eEurope 2005 Action Plan.
Another important aim of the IDA programme is to co-ordinate and finance electronic networks to implement EU legislation which requires exchange of information between Member States and European institutions. Having access to these networks will help accession and candidate countries to be able to take up and implement EU legislation (the acquis communitaire.)
Accession and Candidate Countries already have observer status in IDA working groups of national experts in areas such as network security, e-Government portals, eProcurement services and frameworks for increased interoperability between public administration, enterprises and citizens.
Last year, initiatives were launched to inform Accession and Candidate Countries about the programme. This year, IDA Information Days have been organised in Bulgaria, Malta and Poland. Other events will be held to raise awareness of how the programme works and how Accession and Candidate Countries can best benefit from taking part.
Hungary will be next to sign a Memorandum of Understanding, and the remaining Accession Countries (Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia) and three Candidate Countries (Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey) will follow in 2003.
Quelle: Malta Media
