Points of Single Contact (Services Directive)

The Points of Single Contact are e-government websites managed by national administrations. They allow businesses to obtain information on procedures and to complete all the necessary steps by electronic means, without the need to approach various public bodies one by one.

[tcpaa]

This is a great tool. This inspired my own research into local portals to help small businesses around me

[dojohansen]

@EUSPOCS Providing easier *access* to the hideously complicated regulations that apply in 30 jurisdictions (EU27+EEC) doesn't really come close to "overcome these obstacles". But I welcome, in fact salute, the initiative as it is may (if well implemented) well bring a huge improvement.

I'm a regular employee and I don't have a business of my own. But seeing this gives me hope that starting one might not involve as much tedium as it used to. :)

[dojohansen]

@EUSPOCS This is hopefully in the plans already... but if not: This should NOT just be about the web. It should be about technical interfacing with governments that is based on open standards (in practice, as of 2011, web services). A web site should merely be one way of exposing such services. This would allow third-party vendors to automate many reporting duties as well as information retrieval from public sources to users, with obvious impact on error-proneness and cost. :)

[dojohansen]

It's a pity the view count is so low. For once, an initiative from the European Commission that a normal layman like myself can see brings tangible benefits. Even though I am a regular employee and do not have my own business, it's easy to understand that this has the *potential* (if well executed!) not just to reduce costs, but to level the playing field (a little) for small players versus the behemoths (who retain many other advantages, of course).

Let's hope the EU doesn't disintegrate...

[chatsource]

Thanks for explaining it, makes getting information much easier :)