Research pick: Crossing the digital borders - "Cross-border digital public services in the European Union: a systematic literature review"

As the European single market evolves alongside advancements in digital technology, there is an increasing need to consider cross-border digital public services. A systematic literature review in the International Journal of Electronic Governance shows that there are many gaps in research in this area. Work has primarily focused on the national and local levels rather than the European Union as a whole, and so lead to a fragmented understanding across disciplines.

The review by Stefan Dedovic and Vincent Homburg of the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies at the University of Tartu in Estonia suggests that European policy coordination thus faces many challenges concerning organizational matters and interoperability. This applies most to EU public administrations with respect to cross-border digital public services. The research considered in their review suggests that these issues are recognised, but there is a lack of a comprehensive framework to help us understand the issues and how they might be addressed.

European integration relies on the free movement of people, services, capital, and goods. However, there are obstacles that individuals and businesses encounter repeatedly when trying to use cross-border digital public services, such as digital enrolment, identity verification, and business registry access. Indeed, such essential services are often badly implemented.

Some efforts have been made to introduce legal frameworks such as regulations on electronic identification and trust services that are meant to standardize digital services and smooth cross-border accessibility. But, to work well, such regulations need prioritisation at the national and EU-level. Millions of European jobs rely on cross-border services so this is vital to development and growth.

The team’s review shows the gaps in research and so could provide a roadmap for future research directions to help in the development of governance, inter-organizational relationships, and interoperability. More research in those areas will allow problems to be solved. The team suggests that more research into the decision-making processes in multi-level governance settings, understanding the dynamics of organizational change, and addressing interoperability challenges will help move us forward. In addition, there is a pressing need to focus on the experiences of EU citizens.

Dedovic, S. and Homburg, V. (2024) ‘Cross-border digital public services in the European Union: a systematic literature review’, Int. J. Electronic Governance, Vol. 16, No. 1, pp.4–28.