Transparent and reliable e-Government is needed

The European Parliament’s Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) held an exchange of views on support for the digital transformation of European public administrations. The European Commission aims to provide a coherent picture on the current context of the information society and, on this basis, to identify trends, public policy, regulatory and support actions in the field of ICT in the EU planning cycle, and to consider the necessary tools and resources. Fidesz MEP Edina Tóth welcomed the Commission’s proposals but also stressed, that without well thought-out and rigorous actions, the EU would not be able to tap the potential of digitalisation and it might fall behind in the intense global competition.

“The well-designed and widespread use of e-Government services in the 21st century is a prerequisite for efficient public administration”,  pointed out MEP Edina Tóth. The development of e-Government services contributes to the simplification and transparency of regulatory processes, ensuring that public administrations can provide and use efficient and quality online services. “A good example is the electronic Hungarian public procurement system, which, on the one hand, saves significant public funds and, on the other hand, considerably improves the transparency and reliability of procurement procedures,” the EPP politician highlighted.

Therefore, developing digital governance is not a goal in itself. The efficiency of the use of these resources can be measured not primarily in better positions in international statistics, but in improving the competitiveness of businesses and the economy, increasing the number of jobs and the export performance of the economy, enhancing the equality and the efficiency of state operation, and reducing the digital societal division. One can experience all these positive results currently in Hungary.

The Fidesz MEP emphasized that Hungary is also in a good position with regard to digital infrastructure. She recalled, however, that Europe still has a serious digital illiteracy gap, with millions of EU citizens still lacking competitive knowledge and therefore barely benefiting from the digital revolution. This is also true for the digital competences of micro and small enterprises and those working in public administration.

“A Member State can only be successful in the EU and global competition if it is consistently dismantling obstacles to the further dynamic development of e-Government through a coordinated, strategic use of domestic and EU resources. This is the only way to unlock the immense direct and indirect potential of the sector”, concluded MEP Edina Tóth.