Government - Written Friday, June 4, 2010 by Thomas Gegenhuber - 5 Comments

Microsoft’s e-government browser in Austria: Just a good service or a play to increase market share?

I’ve been living here in Canada for 9 months. When I tell people that I am from Austria, they ask me if Austria is like “The Sound of Music.” Austria is indeed a small country with lots of mountains in the heart of Europe and has 8.3 Million inhabitants. But it some fields, Austria is more innovative than some might assume. It is one of the role models for e-government within Europe. All levels of the government (federal, provincial, and local) and key stakeholders who offer important services for citizens cooperate on the platform “Digital Austria.” The results of these efforts: From 2006 to 2009 Austria achieved the first place in the European E-Government ranking. One example of successful service: “Finanz Online,” the online service platform of the Finance Ministry which has 1.5 Million users that can file their tax declaration via the platform. Furthermore Austria has a health card, which can be activated as a citizen card. This card serves as a proof of identity that is required for sensitive government services. Soon, the government of Austria will also offer a digital signature for cell phones. Continue…