IDABC stands for Interoperable Delivery of European eGovernment Services to public Administrations, Business and Citizens. It uses the opportunities offered by information and communication technologies to encourage and support the delivery of cross-border public sector services to citizens and enterprises in Europe, to improve efficiency and collaboration between European public administrations and to contribute to making Europe an attractive place to live, work and invest.

To achieve its objectives, IDABC issues recommendations, develops solutions and provides services that enable national and European administrations to communicate electronically and offer modern public services to businesses and citizens in Europe. The programme also provides financing to projects that address European policy requirements and improve cooperation between administrations across Europe. By using state-of-the-art information and communication technologies, developing common solutions and services and providing a platform for the exchange of good practice between public administrations, IDABC contributes to the eEurope objective of modernising the European public sector. eTEN is the European Community Programme designed to help the deployment of telecommunication networks based services (e-services) with a trans-European dimension. It focuses strongly on public services, particularly in areas where Europe has a competitive advantage.

The programme aims to accelerate the take up of services to sustain the European social model of an inclusive, cohesive society. Its objectives are at the very heart of the eEurope mission of "an information society for all". It promotes public interest services which give every citizen, enterprise and administration full opportunity to gain from the e-Society, bridging the digital divide which threatens to create an information underclass in the areas of eGovernment; eHealth and eHealthcare; eInclusion; eLearning; Services for SMEs (eBusiness); Trust and Security services components.