The IT implementation of the EU Services Directive is aimed at making the European Union the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based market in the world by the end of the year 2009. A modernized government is the basis for the successful implementation of the EU Directive, cross-departmental and cross-national cooperation between government entities must be implemented and/or improved. The presentation will focus on the technical challenges and the next steps ahead in the process of the IT implementation of the EU Services Directive.
Looking into the future of implementing the EU Services Directive the presentation will also explain the SPOCS-project, which is the acronym for "Simple Procedures Online for Cross-border Services", the European Large Scale Pilot project launched by the European Commission which aims at the IT implementation of the EU Services Directive and therefore for the removal of administrative barriers that European businesses face before offering their services abroad. SPOCS is expected to further enhance the quality of electronic procedures completion and has been designed for businesses that have an interest in cross-border activities. It will allow them to meet all the administrative obligations through a Point of Single Contact that will be available online in all EU Member States by the end of 2009.