Semic.eu is an initiative by IDABC , EU's programme for eGovernment amongst other things. One of IDABC's tasks is working for better interoperability in public sector throughout EU. One outcome of this is the European Interoperability Framework (EIF), now in its second verison. EIF is a much used reference framework for interoperability.

Through the work in the Resource Network for eGovernment , financed by the Norwegian Research Council (the Verdikt program), Vestlandsforsking har a special role promoting interoperability in public sector and research on this topic. This is very much in line with the work Semic.eu is doing and thus it is of mutual benefit to keep a close contact between the two. Semic.eu also contributed to a seminar on interoperability in public sector (this text is unfortunately only in Norwegian), arranged by Vestlandsforsking in cooperation with Norstella in Oslo late in August.

The Semic.eu Advisory Group meeting consisted of many short introduction with follow-up questions and discussions. As such it was not the place for digging deep into the challenges of interoperability. On the other hand many interesting cases were presented with interesting discussions afterwards.