Commission welcomes the Tallinn Declaration on e-government

European Ministers responsible for e-government pledged today at the Ministerial eGovernment Conference in Tallinn, Estonia to accelerate wider use of electronic identification means across the EU. This is an important step to complete the formal notification of electronic identification means under the regulation on the electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market(eIDAS), which makes it possible for Europeans to access online services in other Member States just as they do at home and for European businesses to make easy electronic transactions in the internal market. Vice-President Ansip and Commissioner Gabriel welcomed this step with a joint statement, saying: “European Ministers responsible for e-government committed today to accelerate wider use of electronic identification means across the EU. The Tallinn Declaration marks therefore serious progress for our citizens and businesses. […] The Commission will continue to work closely with the Member States to accelerate this process.” The full statement is available here. Another declaration was signed yesterday in Tallinn at the second Eastern Partnership Ministerial meeting on the digital economy. Ministers from EU Member States as well as from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine signed a declaration agreeing to specific targets that reflect a shared willingness to deepen their cooperation in six priority areas: electronic communications and infrastructure; trust and security; eTrade; digital skills; ICT innovation, and start up ecosystems; and eHealth. Read more here.