Digitised Austria

The expansion, implementation and ease of use of electronic official services are among the priorities of the Austrian Federal Government.

The e-Government Act is the heart of Austrian e-Government law and the basis for "Digital Austria". The law entered into force on 1st of March 2004 and was last amended in 2018. In between, there were adjustments to the Regulation on Electronic Identification and Trust Services for Electronic Transactions in the Internal Market (eIDAS-VO).

Interaction levels in e-Government

  • Information: Providing information online, for example, on the website of a public authority.
  • Communication: The possibility to interactively access and exchange information.
  • Transaction: The actual operation of services with signed application forms and electronic delivery of official documents and notifications.
  • Personalisation: Content information is adapted to the different requirements and life situations of people on the basis of their personal user profiles in order to make information as targeted as possible.

The core elements of e-Government in Austria were and are the digital projects such as the citizens' card or Handy-Signatur (mobile phone signature), which acts as an electronic ID card on the Internet. Electronic online services such as electronic payment or delivery could be possible by using the Handy-Signatur on the Internet. This unique identification and authentication by the Handy-Signatur makes possible the creation of a qualified electronic signature. This allows applications or contracts to be signed that would otherwise require a handwritten signature. The technical implementations are carried out by a free e-Government, open source software. They are abbreviated to MOA (Modules for Online Applications) and integrated into the respective applications. This means that signatures can be checked electronically, documents can be signed and also delivered electronically.

The authorities' online services of the authorities are often offered via websites or apps. On oesterreich.gv.at, selected public administration services can be conveniently accessed electronically. Companies use the service portal usp.gv.at, which is the central entry point to manage information or transactions directly from your desktop.

e-Government encompasses all electronic public administration services

that are available to everyone in the country. More information on how e-Government is organised in Austria, and the  Coordinationboards Digital Administration.

Social Media – Web 2.0

Web 2.0 presents a challenge for the public administration. The goal is to ensure a faster, more interactive and generally improved communication with citizens. Moreover, Web 2.0 provides an opportunity for participation and integration. When working with interactive platforms such as Facebook, Twitter or Youtube, the questions “Who are the target groups?” and “Who is allowed to communicate?” always need to be considered.
More Information on Participation of Austrian people is available here "Beteiligungen der Öffentlichkeit" (in German)

Additional Information