Interconnected Government

By Olov Östberg

A proposal for strengthening central co-ordination of e-government development efforts in Sweden.

In June 2001, the Swedish Government commissioned Statskontoret - the Swedish Agency for Public Management - to promote '24/7 agencies', i.e. public agencies that develop and provide electronic services -- 'e-services'.

Statskontoret has discussed with the government agencies represented in the Central Government E-Forum the need for a more permanent structure for further development work. Statskontoret has also consulted the director-generals of other interested public agencies.

As a result, in a March 2002 report to the Government, Statskontoret proposes measures for the whole of public administration that it deems necessary for a continued favourable development of Swedish public e-services. Statskontoret deems it essential to depart from the present loose and, accordingly, fragmented collaborative structure and move towards firmer and clearer forms of collaboration. More comprehensive development thus needs to be managed by a public body that is in a position, and possesses the authority, to take the requisite decisions, issue the necessary regulations and instructions, and procure and provide basic user-independent functions for e-services.

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