EU
According to statistics released by Eurostat, around half of EU citizens and enterprises who used the Internet in the beginning of 2004 accessed public sec¬tor information online.

Highlights of the updated statistical data, which now features information from the 10 new Member States, include the following:
• 45% of individuals, aged from 16 to 74, who used the Internet during the first quarter of 2004, obtained infor¬mation from public authorities’ web¬sites. The highest levels of access to public authorities’ websites to obtain information were recorded in Finland (62%), Denmark (56%), Luxembourg (55%), Spain and Hungary (both 54%) and Germany (51%).
• For downloading forms, the highest levels were observed in Luxembourg (44%) and Spain (29%), compared with a EU average of 20%.
• For submitting completed forms, the highest levels were recorded in Luxembourg (32%), Estonia and Portugal (both 26%), compared with an average of 12%.
• In January 2004, 51% of enterprises with Internet access obtained infor¬mation from public authorities’ web¬sites. The highest levels of access to public authorities’ websites to obtain information were recorded in Sweden (94%), Finland (90%), Estonia (87%), Lithuania (78%), the Czech Republic (75%), Luxembourg (71%) and Greece (70%).
• Polish, Portuguese and Finnish com¬panies reported the highest levels for submitting completed forms (79%, 65% and 63% respectively, compared to an average of 32%).

ESTONIA
About 1% of Votes Cast Online in Estonian Local Elections
Estonia has become the first country in the world to enable its citizens nation¬wide to vote over the Internet for political elections. However, only about 1% of votes were cast online for the local elec¬tions of 16 0ctober 2005.
Citizens willing to cast their ballots over the Internet could do so in advance between 10 and 12 October, using their electronic identity card. To vote online, Estonian voters needed to access the Internet voting website and introduce their e-ID card into a card reader con¬nected to the computer. Once identified through their ID cards and authenticated with a PIN code, users could cast their ballots through an encrypted system, confirm their choice with a second code and then affix their digital signatures to verify the selections before transmitting them.

SPAIN
To Launch Single Telephone Number for Administrative Queries
On October 10, 2005, Spanish Minister for Public Administration Jordi Sevilla announced a series of moderni¬sation measures, including the creation of a single telephone number for admin¬istrative queries. By replacing the 1,255 numbers currently available, the single telephone number (060) will make life considerably easier for users. This mea¬sure will be complemented by the con¬version of the Citizen Portal into 060.es, a virtual access platform to government information and interactive public ser¬vices. The 060 initiative is part of the ‘Plan Conecta” for the modernisation of Spain’s public Administration.
Among other things, the govern¬ment has also announced that it will launch a Civil Servant Portal providing citizens with a wealth of information and services related to civil service employ¬ment opportunities. The portal will be launched next March and the govern¬ment intends to make its use mandatory
for advertising civil service jobs start¬ing from September 2006.

EUROPEAN CITIES
eMayor Project explores Interoperability between European Municipalities
eMayor, a project that aims to provide a secure, interoperable and affordable eGovernment platform for small and medium-sized government organisations (SMGOs), is currently carrying out pilots in several European cities.
The development of eGovernment services in smaller municipalities is often hindered by lack of financial, political or legal support, as well as by lack of expertise or infrastructure to successfully address security and technical issues. Designed to deliver solutions in key areas such as tax revenues, licensing and issuance of certificates, and cross border services, the eMayor platform intends to help SMGOs overcome the barriers they face in implementing eGovernment.
The platform is based on open source tools and software as well as on XML and Web Services standards. It runs in Unix, Linux, Microsoft and Apple environments.