1 eGovernment Services in Serbia Zoran Babovic Darko Jovic Veljko Milutinovic

2/23 Agenda History of eGovernment in Serbia eGovernment strategy Legislative framework Key organization eGovernment infrastructure Services addressed by the We-Go project Basic eGovernment services for citizens and companies (EU recommendation)

3/23 History of eGovernment in Serbia October – Guidelines for development and acceptance projects related to information systems in government institutions July – Act of securing and protecting information systems in government institutions June – Conception of further development of information systems in government institutions – Basis document for the next law March – Law on information systems November – Strategy for further development of informatics in Yugoslavia – Federal Level October – Program for development of information systems in 2001.

4/23 eGovernment strategy In October Serbia signed agreement “Agenda e-SEE for development of information society” as a base document Strategy for public administration reform Reform organization and functionality of EU countries are basis and final goal of this strategy Strategy for information society development This strategy contains directions for eGovernemnt development Contains also action plan (one year plan) of strategic priorities Strategy of eGovernment development

5/23 Action Plan for eGovernment – Strategic Priorities Planning and development of eGovernment Establish institutional framework for eGovernment Build detailed plan of eGovernment development Develop standards for eGovernment Creating environment for eGovernemnt development Build ICT infrastructure Build PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) Improve human resource capabilities Promote eGovernment in media Development of eGovernment services Establish pilot project of eGovernment integrated services Reorganization and standardization of administration procedures Development of access to public information Development of services G2C, G2B, G2G

6/23 Legislative Framework of eGovernment Law on Digital Signature (December 2004) Awaiting formation of relevant sub-acts. Public Access to Information (2004) Law on registration of business entities (2004) Amended Criminal Code / Convention on Cyber Crime (signed but not ratified yet)

7/23 Legislative Framework of eGovernment – Awaiting adoption Law on Telecommunication (Signed and ratified in 2003, in accordance with 1998 EU regulation, however not with the new EU law) Law on data protection (Signed and ratified in 1998, however not EU compliant and should be adopted) Law on electronic commerce Law on electronic public procurements Law on eGovernment services

8/23 Key organization for development of eGovernment services According to Strategy of information society development, key organizations are: Ministry of Science and Environment Protection in the past. In the government formed in May Ministry of Telecommunication and Information Society take responsibility National Agency for Informatics and Internet Independent institution supervised by Ministry of Science in the past, now by Ministry of Telecommunication and IS National Investment Plan New ministry in the new government. Contains IT council for approving eGovernment projects Currently, four big projects related to eGovernment are approved

9/23 eGovernment Infrastructure – Central Portal Central portal of eGovernment Services Central access point for all eGovernment services Contains links to all 20 relevant eGovernment services for citizens, companies, and local governments Portal is available on Serbian and English language

10/23 eGovernment Infrastructure – Computer Network Currently exists just partial computer network In the NIP (National Investment Plan) there is approved project (20 mil.€ budget) for building the computer networks of all central and local government institutions

11/23 eGovernment Infrastructure – eProcurement In the reports of eGovernment state in EU countries, public electronic procurements are treated independently than other services, with separate portal Law on electronic public procurement is awaiting NIP approved project for e-Procurements Ministry of Finance and National Agency for Informatics and Internet are leaders of the project Participants are also Ministry of Science and National agency for public procurements 3 phases of this project were part of EU FP6 project

12/23 eGovernment Infrastructure – eIdentification Law on personal cards accepted in Ministry of Interior started projects of Electronic Personal Cards in Current status : Project is in the final phase, and Agency for Money Printing will produce blank personal cards and ePassport documents Several issues postpone applicability of eCards: Missing National PKI and Certificate Body Lack of appropriate Data Protection Law Technical problems with already old equipment Citizens will be able to choose ordinary or electronic personal cards

13/23 eGovernment services addressed by We-Go eCustoms New Computerized Transit System (NCTS) eJustice - Automation of Court Procedures (ACP) eFinance - eTaxes European Companies Register (ECR) European Land Information System (EULIS) eAdministration Electronic Filing System (implementation of paperless government)

14/23 eCustoms Currently, there is online possibility for electronic submitting customs documents But firstly, customer have to submit request for electronically submitting documents Service is rated as service of level 3 Sector plan in NIP for customs evolves project: "Single electronic window" – Modernization of the import and export of goods There is Strategy for border control They are participating in EU FP6 project

15/23 eJustice The Development and Implementation of the JISS (Judicial Information Systems of Serbia) is under jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice according to Law JISS includes 7 Information Systems with central point at IS of Ministry of Justice “ Commercial Court Administrative Strengthening Activity (CCASA)” – Program funded by USAID CAS - Court Automation System in three modules: Case data collection instrument CDCI Registry replacement RR Case management system CMS Sector investment plan – 4 mil. € for modernization of information system will enable : Monitoring courts’ efficiency and workload Access to electronic database of positive regulations and court practices Efficient way of collecting all statistical data Interactive contact with the public

16/23 eTaxes Income Tax Declaration – Citizen service Ranked as Level 2 of service Information, manuals, and download of electronic forms are available online VAT: declaration, notification – Companies service Also ranked as Level 2 of service Electronic form is downloadable online Fiscal decentralization – currently active project Funded by National Investment Plan Collaboration of local government and Tax Department

17/23 Serbian Business Registers Agency Intensive implementation of service during May 2005 – March 2006 – Swedish Government donation Example of G2G – Web Service to the Ministry of Finance Communication with the clients through FTP servers, and specified data format in XML Payment of service through Central Bank, but not automatically because of legislation lack Partner of EBR, ready for synchronization, but that is delayed due to changing schema in EBR Participant of Brite Project – Interoperability of European Business Projects

18/23 eAdministration National Agency for Informatics and Internet are responsible for support and recommendations of eGovernment services in local government Ministry of Public Administration and Local Government does not have initiative There are so many different solutions in local government US Aid Program SLGRP Serbian Local Government Reform Program

19/23 eAdministration (continued) Example of Belgrade city: Online possibility for submitting request of getting birth, death, and marriage certificates Indjija town – Donation of Baltimore City. 48 hours period for completing any citizen request Big project related to reform of local government is approved by NIP Project is not started yet Many services are planned for citizens, businesses, and internally for local government functionalities

20/23 Basic eGovernment services National Agency for Informatics and Internet performed evaluation of 20 basic eGovernment services according to EU recommendations Services are described from Level 0-4 Level 0: Does not exist Level 1: Just information Level 2: Information and download of forms Level 3: Interactive communication Level 4: Transaction-Integrated services are applied Complete results are available on the web-site (on serbian language)ww.rzii.sr.gov.yu

21/23 Basic 12 eGovernment services for citizens 6.25 % services are not implemented 62,50 % services are realized on Level 1 12,50 % services are realized on Level 2 18,75 % services are realized on Level 3 After involving citizen identification cards, and improvement in registers, it is expected that global grade will be much better in short time

22/23 Basic 8 eGovernment services for companies 25 % services are not implemented 12,50 % services are realized on Level 1 37,50 % services are realized on Level 2 25,00 % services are realized on Level 3 Improvements planned for end of in Business Registers Agency and in National Bank will enable much better results

23/23 Conclusion Lack of interoperability and standards issues Lack of necessary legislation stops application of some level of services, that are technologically possible Many isolated initiatives Need for much efficient synchronization and collaboration