i2010 eGovernment Action Plan Progress Study

The    i2010 eGovernment Action Plan Progress Study (2.2 MB)   has been requested by the Unit for ICT for Government and Public Services, DG Information Society and Media, European Commission. Its strategic purpose is to undertake a qualitative progress evaluation of the i2010 eGovernment Action Plan, 2006-2010, and on this basis to provide input to future planning in the eGovernment area at European and Member State level.

eGovernment has been on the EU agenda for the past 10 years. In June 2006, the Council of Ministers supported the Commission's 5-year strategy for eGovernment - this i2010 eGovernment Action Plan provided a concrete basis for joint activities in Europe. The Action Plan has managed to encourage all EU Member States and other European countries to work in common areas and towards common goals. The main conclusion is that the Action Plan has been very successful in encouraging both general and specific eGovernment policies and implementation mechanisms to be put in place in European countries. The report also draws the conclusion that good progress has been made, but also that there is still a way to go. Clear challenges remain to be addressed - the take-up and use of electronic public services are still lagging behind their provision and online availability; and there is still a gap between policy ambitions and practice. The clear recommendation is to continue building on the Action Plan, and to do this by shifting focus and stepping up a gear in the implementation of eGovernment. Strong political support needs to be maintained together with strong cooperation.

The   i2010 Action Plan Progress Study Summary Report (976 KB)  provides a 25 page overview of the main achievements, challenges and recommendations arising from the study.