eGovernment Services in Serbia

1. eGovernment Services in Serbia Zoran Babovic Darko Jovic Veljko Milutinovic

2. 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. History of eGovernment in Serbia • October 1989. – Guidelines for development and acceptance projects related to information systems in government institutions • July 1990. – Act of securing and protecting information systems in government institutions • June 1992. – Conception of further development of information systems in government institutions – Basis document for the next law • March 1996. – Law on information systems • November 1997. – Strategy for further development of informatics in Yugoslavia – Federal Level • October 2001. – Program for development of information systems in 2001.

4. eGovernment strategy • In October 2002. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 2007. 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. eGovernment Infrastructure– Central Portal • Central portal of eGovernment Services www.eUprava.gov.yu • 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. 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 ofall central and local government institutions

11. 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 andNational agency for public procurements • 3 phases of this project were part of EU FP6 project

12. eGovernment Infrastructure– eIdentification • Law on personal cards accepted in 2006. • Ministry of Interior started projects of Electronic Personal Cards in 2001. • 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. 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. eCustoms • www.fcs.yu • 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. 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. eTaxes • Income Tax Declaration – Citizen service • www.poreskauprava.sr.gov.yu • Ranked as Level 2 of service • Information, manuals, and download of electronic forms are available online • VAT: declaration, notification – Companies service • www.poreskauprava.sr.gov.yu • 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. Serbian Business Registers Agency • www.apr.sr.gov.yu • 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. 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. 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. 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-sitewww.rzii.sr.gov.yu (on serbian language)

21. 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. 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 2006. in Business Registers Agency and in National Bank will enable much better results

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