| eGovernment Strategy
In the past Austria has taken decisive action to implement the eGovernment project swiftly
and efficiently. In May 2003, the Austrian Federal Government launched an eGovernment
initiative to coordinate all eGovernment activities, by setting up two cross-departmental
coordination bodies (eGovernment Platform and eCooperation Board). At the same time,
stock was taken of all on-going activities and a roadmap was agreed.
The
eGovernment Act
that entered into force on 1 March 2004 was a milestone
achievement. Austria was one of the first EU Member States to adopt comprehensive
legislation on eGovernment. As security and trust are critical factors in eGovernment and
eCommerce, Austria uses the same standards and tools for both areas (Citizen Card
function, electronic signature, electronic payment), which secures its position as a business
location.
In September 2005, a new organisational structure was implemented that took into account
future challenges like sustainability, international cooperation and ongoing innovation, thus
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