eGovernment in Europe: The State of Affairs

Leitner, Christine. (2004) eGovernment in Europe: The State of Affairs. EIPAScope, 2004 (1). pp. 36-48.

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Abstract

This article outlines the state of affairs in eGovernment in Europe in the light of a study1 conducted within the framework of the eEurope Awards Programme2, which is managed by the author. Point of departure are the results of the eEurope Awards for eGovernment - 2003 which are indicative of what could be regarded today as the state of affairs in eGovernment in Europe. Discussions of good practice in the first part of this article are based on the 357 submitted cases, which show a pattern of replacing rigid administration with reactive, responsive and flexible structures relying on eGovernment. The cases reveal the magnitude of creativity and innovation at work in implementing eGovernment across Europe, thus demonstrating that such a process may well indeed underlie far-reaching changes in governance in Europe. The second part of the article analyses from a more general perspective what could be described as the vision versus the reality of eGovernment: The information society has coincided with unprecedented efforts to improve administrative procedures and organisation, allowing true citizen-centric, cooperative, seamless and polycentric modern governance. Consequently, the socio-technical and institutional transformations will go far beyond serving citizens and the economy by merely offering online services. Strategies for eGovernment can aim at modernising government in an unprecedented way. However, any such strategy can only be achieved on the basis of a thoroughly reasoned vision. A truly new architecture of service management and delivery is about to emerge, which is built on separating customer-centred front offices from back offices and on seamless connections between organisations. Moreover, fully-fledged eGovernment will not just reshape administrations but also civil society and the public sphere at large. The article concludes by highlighting some of the major challenges ahead beyond the framework and actions planned within the eEurope Initiative. More information on the eEurope Awards Programme and the original report on the state of affairs of eGovernment in Europe at www.e-europeawards.org.

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