2019/9004/N
EC/EFTA
NO Norwegen
  • SERV60 - Dienstleistungen im Zusammenhang mit dem Internet
2019-07-30
2019-04-30

IT standards

Regulation for use of IT standards in the public administration

Difi has proposed a number of adjustments of these Regulations during the period 2014-2017. The proposals are described in the enclosed covering letter.

Section 2 litera f:

Definition of the term ’open standard’. This term is used in Section 13.

Background for the change

It is a general requirement that public enterprises have to evaluate the use of open standards in all projects that involve procurement, development, implementation, operation and use of IT solutions.

Section 3 third subsection:

Change in wording from «Proposals for standards shall be published on the website of the Agency for Public Management and eGovernment (Difi) and shall be available at http://standard.difi.no.» to «Requirements regarding recommended and mandatory IT standards in the public sector should be viewed as a whole, and shall be published collectively on the website of the Agency for Public Management and eGovernment (Difi) and shall be available at http://standard.difi.no.»

Background for the change

Difi recommends that the last sentence in Section 3 be changed to ensure that public enterprises will see the interrelationship between the recommended and mandatory requirements regarding use of IT standards in the public sector.

Section 4 first and third subsections:

Included HTML5 in the first subsection and two PDF formats in the third subsection.

Background for the change

Quote from transmittal letter for summary of consultation process 2016:

«HTML5 was adopted as a W3C standard after the summary of the consultation process had been prepared. There was wide support in the submissions for incorporating HTML5 as a mandatory administrative standard after it had been adopted by the W3C. The new mandatory requirement should be worded to ensure HTML5 is established as an alternative to the versions of HTML currently allowed. When HTML5 gains sufficient support in production solutions for the web, the other versions should be phased out. For the time being, the distribution is not sufficient to implement such a phase-out. The revised requirement should prevent a type of use of HTML5 that will render use of older internet browsers impossible or result in substantially poorer functionality. This should be ensured by requiring testing of HTML5 web pages vis-á-vis older HTML 4.01 internet browsers in significant use».

Section 5 first subsection:

Clarification regarding use of PDF.

Background for the change

Based on the submissions, Difi sees no reason to update the proposed wording of the revised regulations.

Section 6 first subsection on video

Less strict requirement.

Background for the change

Most consultation bodies supported the requirement. Most were also of the opinion that it would be appropriate to make the requirement less stringent in cases where it is no longer critical to have a mandatory requirement to ensure support in the public sector. Difi therefore considers it prudent to stipulate a less stringent requirement regarding the areas addressed.

Section 7 both subsections

Elmer 3 shall be used for business forms; adjusted upwards from Elmer 2.1 to Elmer 3. Consultation process carried out in accordance with the process for recommendation of mandatory standards.

Background for the change

ELMER 3 was adopted after the summary of consultation process 2016 had been prepared.

The Brønnøysund Register Centre adopted Elmer 3 as early as in 2014.

Section 10 Digital procurement process and use of EHF and PEPPOL BIS EHF is to be used for national entities, and PEPPOL BIS for foreign entities. Based on proposals from professional groups and consultation processes, use of EHF will also be required for electronic invoicing of domestic entities and use of the PEPPOL format for reception and sending from/to foreign entities.

Background for the change

Use of updated and new standards for electronic invoicing based upon the original objective of strengthening the competitiveness of Norwegian industry and commerce and contributing to a renewal and improvement of the efficiency of the public sector.

Section 11 new subsection.

Mandatory basic network standards. IPv4 and IPv6 (Dual stack).

Background for the change

IPv4 suffers from address exhaustion. Thus, IPv6 is now to a greater extent used by the major internet service providers.

Section 12 new subsection.

Mandatory standard for browser-based services. It will be mandatory to use HTML5 for browser-based services on public websites.

Background for the change

It is preferable that public enterprises use a more modern and updated standard for browser-based services. Broad support from the Norwegian Standards Council and from submissions regarding use of HTML5

Section 13 new subsection.

General requirement regarding evaluation of use of open standards. «In connection with procurement, development, establishment, operation and use of IT solutions within areas of use where these or other regulations do not stipulate specific requirements regarding use of standards, it shall be evaluated whether there are relevant open standards that should be used within these areas of use.»

Background for the change

It is preferable that public enterprises evaluate the use of open standards in all contexts. Broad support during the consultation process regarding the matter. Some objections have been taken into consideration to some extent.