Salina Castle
Title: Exploring Cross-Border Interoperability in the Public Sector – A Case Study on EUCARIS as a Successful EU-wide Data Exchange Initiative
Supervisor: Luiza Schuch de Azambuja, MSc, Prof. Dr. Robert Krimmer, Stefan Dedovic, MSc.
Opponent: Prof. Dr. Tarmo Kalvet
Defense: 2-3 June 2022
Abstract: After more than two decades of EU efforts to promote cross-border data exchange, the European interoperability landscape remains fragmented and heterogeneous. This research addresses the research gap of a comprehensive overview of existing interoperability solutions and their interconnections in the context of the EU. With the objective of exploring one public sector data exchange approach in more detail, this thesis conducted a single case study. The selected case is the European Car and Driving License Information System (EUCARIS), which facilitates data exchange between registration authorities across the EU. This study indicates that several factors have contributed to the successful EU-wide adoption and expansion of the system. Throughout all layers (organisational, legal, and technical), aspects of simplicity, sense of control and autonomy, and adaptability were identified as relevant drivers. Further research is suggested to explore other cross-border interoperability initiatives approaches, following the conceptual model. As this thesis is limited to one case, further research could help to identify general conclusions on cross-border data exchange approaches and identify key success factors.
Keywords: Data Exchange, Cross-Border, Interoperability, EUCARIS, European Interoperability Framework, Digital Government
