28/11/23 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 28 November, members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) approved (47 votes in favour, 2 against, 6 abstentions) the provisional political agreement reached by the European Parliament and the EU Council on 13 November on ‘Interoperable Europe’ (see EUROPE 13292/7). “The philosophy behind this text is that the public sector should do its own homework and put its own house in order to reduce the digital divide”, commented the dossier’s rapporteur, Ivars Ijabs (Renew Europe, Latvian). The text should speed up the digital transformation of the public sector and raise the level of interoperability of cross-border administrations and services, including at municipal and regional levels. The text also provides for investment by the European Commission in training courses aimed at increasing the digital skills of public administration staff. (TM)