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Workshop on Regulatory PracticesWorkshop on Regulatory PracticesWTO Geneva, 11 April 2011WTO Geneva, 11 April 2011

Wiebke Pankauke, European Commission, Wiebke Pankauke, European Commission, DG Internal Market and ServicesDG Internal Market and Services

The Internal Market Information The Internal Market Information (IMI) System – (IMI) System –

Better communication, better serviceBetter communication, better service

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• In order to facilitate mobility, more In order to facilitate mobility, more and more EU legislation requires and more EU legislation requires cooperation between Member cooperation between Member StatesStates

• Adopting legal texts is only the Adopting legal texts is only the first stepfirst step

• Need to put cooperation into Need to put cooperation into practicepractice

• Challenge particularly in complex Challenge particularly in complex areas (example EU Services areas (example EU Services Directive) Directive)

Why develop an IT tool for cooperation?Why develop an IT tool for cooperation?

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BGBGCSCS

DADA

DEDE

ETET

ELEL

ENEN

ESES

FRFR

ITIT

LVLVLTLTGAGA

HUHU

MTMT

NLNL

PLPL

PTPT

RORO

SKSK

SLSL

FIFI

SVSVNONO

ISIS

LILI

A web-based tool for A web-based tool for information information exchange exchange between public between public authorities at all authorities at all levels levels

Secure and data Secure and data protection friendly protection friendly

In all EU languages In all EU languages

Easily adaptable to Easily adaptable to different policy different policy areasareas

What is IMI?What is IMI?

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IMI addresses obstacles to cooperationIMI addresses obstacles to cooperation

Language barriers – 23 official EU languagesLanguage barriers – 23 official EU languages

Lack of clearly identified partners in other Lack of clearly identified partners in other countriescountries

Different administrative structures and Different administrative structures and culturescultures

Lack of procedures for cross-border Lack of procedures for cross-border cooperationcooperation

Multilingual interface, pretranslated questions and Multilingual interface, pretranslated questions and answersanswers

Searchable database of Searchable database of authoritiesauthorities

Flexible set-up to reflect administrative realitiesFlexible set-up to reflect administrative realities

Agreed workflows, tracking mechanism Agreed workflows, tracking mechanism

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Secure access through the IMI websiteSecure access through the IMI website

AccessAccess only with only with usernameusername - - password password - - security codesecurity code

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Search for anSearch for anauthority in yourauthority in yourown languageown language

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IMI blends into any existing administrative IMI blends into any existing administrative structurestructure

European Commission ( IMI Administration and Helpdesk)

Member State 1Member State 2

National IMI Coordinator

National IMI Coordinator

Delegated IMI Coordinators

Competent Authorities

Competent Authorities

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• Today used for professional qualifications and Today used for professional qualifications and servicesservices

• More than 6000 authorities registeredMore than 6000 authorities registered

• 160 requests for information per month160 requests for information per month

• 58% answered within two weeks58% answered within two weeks

Facts and figuresFacts and figures

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• Faster replies from Faster replies from authoritiesauthorities

• Less need to produce Less need to produce translations of documents translations of documents

• Less rejections of applications Less rejections of applications due to lack of informationdue to lack of information

How does IMI help citizens and businesses?How does IMI help citizens and businesses?

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• Establishing a large network of very different Establishing a large network of very different authorities and keeping it alive is a challengeauthorities and keeping it alive is a challenge

Lessons learnedLessons learned

• Involving Member State actors as coordinators Involving Member State actors as coordinators allows decentralised management of the networkallows decentralised management of the network

• Using IMI is easy, but mindset and habits need to Using IMI is easy, but mindset and habits need to changechange

• Continuous follow-up and training necessaryContinuous follow-up and training necessary

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IMI as a toolbox for administrative cooperationIMI as a toolbox for administrative cooperation

• New policy areasNew policy areas

• New functionalityNew functionality

• Links with existing systemsLinks with existing systems

Cheaper and faster than building new tailored Cheaper and faster than building new tailored systems, exploiting synergiessystems, exploiting synergies

Expanding IMIExpanding IMI

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or consult the IMI website:http://ec.europa.eu/imi-net

For further information contact:markt-imi@ec.europa.eu