Introduction to IMI February 2008

Introduction to IMI February 2008 Agenda 1. What is IMI? 2. Background and advantages 3. Structure and actors of the IMI application 4. Legal framework 5. Project status and timing 1. What is IMI? • Internal Market Information System” • IMI is a software that is accessible via the internet, – it was designed by the European Commission in cooperation with Member States, – it is developed and run by the European Commission, – It is used by Member States as well as the European Commission. 1. What is IMI (2) • Practical implementation of EU legislation depends on cooperation and partnership between administrations – Professional Qualifications Directive – Services Directive • Internal Market is administered by thousands of authorities at local, regional and national level. IMI will in future support crossborder cooperation between the 27 EU Member States (+ 3 EEA states) 2. IMI – Background and advantages Key barriers to cooperation between Member States • Lack of clearly identified partners in other Member States • Different administrative structures and cultures • Lack of administrative procedures for crossborder cooperation • Language barriers – multiple different languages • Management of 351 bilateral relationships in EU-27 2. IMI – Background and advantages (2) IMI – single interface for crossborder cooperation between competent authorities – Search of competent authority in other EU (EEA) Member State(s) – Use of pre-defined and pre-translated question sets – Requests with attachments and tool to monitor that requests are dealt with on time – Administration of numerous crossborder requests via predefined request lists and information on the request status – Escalation mechanisms if response received was not satisfactory (‘referral process’) 2. IMI – Background and advantages (3) IMI facilitates commubnication between administrations … in the 27 EU-Member States and 3 EEA-States NOR FI SL SK RO PT PL LIE NL MT HU GA LT LV ES FR IT ICE SV BG CS DA DE ET EL IMI EN 3. Structure of the IMI application COMPETENT AUTHORITIES AND NATIONAL EXPERTS CA DATA CA DATA CA DATA CA DATA Information exchange for SERVICES Information exchange for PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS LANGUAGE SUPPORT Information exchange for ……... Information exchange for ……... QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTIONS QUESTION SET GENERATOR 3. Structure of the IMI application (2) Actors and roles in IMI European Commission develops, maintains and runs IMI (data centre Luxembourg) provides translations central Helpdesk Competent Authorities (CAs) find relevant Competent Authorities in another Member State exchange information with this CA in other Member State administer data and users of their authority in IMI 3. Structure of the IMI application (3) Actors and roles in IMI IMI Coordinators (NIMIC, SDIMIC, DIMIC) technical/ administrative coordination, e.g. registration and support of CAs (help desk) functional coordination – by choice act as CA and exchange information through IMI with other CAs Linked authorities authorities can choose to allow other CAs to have a monitoring view of their requests by linking them to their own authority Linked authority has overview of all sent and received requests Ovierview = details of Cas involved in requests, status of request, type of questions, deadline 3. Structure of IMI application (4) EU-Commission DG Markt Unit E/3 Central Helpdesk EU data centre Member State NIMIC 1 (DE) helpdesk Federal state 1 Federal state … 16 NIMIC 2 helpdesk NIMIC 3 Regional Level Functional level DIMIC1 SDIMIC2 DIMIC1 helpdesk DIMIC2 helpdesk CA ZB DIMIC1 DIMIC2 CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA CA Competent Authorities CA= Competent Authority; NIMIC = National IMI Coordinator; DIMIC = Delegated IMI Coordinator 3. Structure of IMI application(5) Registration of actors in IMI (Pilotphase) Competent Authority type NIMIC SDIMIC DIMIC Competent Authority (with access per legislative area) Who registers? European Commission NIMIC NIMIC/SDIMIC SDIMIC/DIMIC * Later versions of IMI will have self-registration functionality. IMI coordinators will validate and authenticate CAs 4. Legal Framework 1. Legal basis for the system development: • Article 4 of EP and Council Decision 2004/387/EC of 21 April 2004 on the interoperable delivery of pan-European e-Government services to public administrations, businesses and citizens (IDABC) • IMAC opinion of 17 March 2006 approving the Global Implementation Plan for IMI • Commission Decision COM/2006/3606 of 14 August 2006 on the third revision of the IDABC Work Programme 2005-2009 4. Legal Framework 2. For information exchanges through IMI: • IMI information exchange is based on internal market legislation and does not create any additional obligations for Member States: – Professional Qualification Directive (2005/36/EC) Art. 8 – administrative cooperation Art. 50 – documents and formalities Art. 56 – Competent authorities – Services Directive (2006/123/EC) Art. 28–36, especially Art. 34 para.1, Art. 36 other articles (21?) 5. Data Protection in IMI • Rules of the Data protection directive 95/46 are applicable at Member State level, Regulation 45/2001 applies to European Commission • Art 29 advisory committee on data protection adopted formal opinion on IMI on 21 Sept 2007 • European Kommission decision of 12 Dec 2007 on data protection in IMI • IMI supports only information exchanges on personal data that are necessary and required by law 5. Data protection in IMI (2) • All personal data exchanged in IMI is retained for a maximum of 6 months only and will be deleted after • IMI does not contain a register or other means of permanent data collection of personal details • Only the Competent Authorities directly involved in an information exchange have access to personal data. IMI coordinators and the European Commission cannot see personal data related to service providers or professionals 6. Project status: future planning Phase 1 Pilot Information 2008 Exchange (PQ): 4 professions Phase 2 Technically possible to extend IMI to further professions Phase 2 Phase 3 Pilot IMI fully Services operational 2009 Directive, for PQ until fully operational 2010 Feb 2008: June 2008: End 2008: Q3-4 2009: End 2009: Professional Qualifications Directive (PQ) Pilot Information exchange (4 professions) more functionality to allow for extension to further professions, if pilot a success Full system functionality for PQ and Pilot Services Directive further functionalities, to enable all information flows under the Services Directive IMI 100% functional for Services Directive And now… …have fun with IMI! For further information or any question, please contact: imi-helpdesk@ec.europa.eu