Cross-border users of European Union government websites face various obstacles, such as language issues and fewer electronic identification options, according to Capgemini’s “eGovernment Benchmark 2023” report contracted by the European Commission.
The annual report, which analyzes more than 15,000 EU government sites, showed that cross-border users have access to just 49 percent of the evaluated services, with many of the websites set up in the national language.
Additionally, only 25 percent of the sites reviewed for the study provide cross-border eID authentication.
The research also showed that city and province online services are not as developed as central governments’ website offerings because of the typical lack of technological infrastructure at the local and regional levels.
Overall, the study provides a rundown of critical elements, such as service deliveries through different service providers, for the EU to achieve its 2030 Digital Decade objectives.
Marc Reinhardt, executive vice president for Capgemini’s public sector global, said Europe has “to come together to further improve e-government services by adopting and reusing best practices.”
Harnessing the trade bloc’s Interoperable Europe Act, which seeks to strengthen cross-border interoperability and cooperation in the public sector, could be a big step toward this direction, he added.