E-government in the Belgian social security sector: a

successful combination of back-office integration and an e-portal

solution

Crossroads Bank for Social Security

Frank RobbenGeneral manager Crossroads Bank for Social SecurityStrategic advisor Federal Public Service for ICTSint-Pieterssteenweg 375B-1040 BrusselsE-mail: Frank.Robben@ksz.fgov.beWebsite: http://www.law.kuleuven.ac.be/icri/frobben

2Crossroads Bank for Social Security Cernobbio, 7 July 2003

Services offered network between 2,000 Belgian public and private social security

offices with a secure connection to internet and Belgian interbanking network

single identification key for each citizen, electronically readable from an electronic social security card

electronic information exchange through structured messages among all social security offices

electronic transactions between social security offices on the one hand and companies and socially insured persons on the other- either through the exchange of structured messages- or via an integrated portal site

an integrated portal site containing- information about the entire social security system- harmonized instructions relating to all electronic transactions- a personal page for each company

an integrated multi-modal contact centre supported by a customer relations management tool

3Crossroads Bank for Social Security Cernobbio, 7 July 2003

The network

R

FW

R

CustomersCustomers

FW

FW

FW

RR

RFTPFTP

RPortalPortal

RIsabelIsabel

Vocal serverVocal server

FW

R

R

BackboneBackbone

R

FW

R

CBSS

4Crossroads Bank for Social Security Cernobbio, 7 July 2003

Some figures

information exchange between all 2,000 social security offices takes place through 170 types of electronic messages

in 2002 242.5 million electronic messages have been exchanged among social security offices, which saved as many paper exchanges

50 types of declaration forms to social security have been abolished

in the remaining 30 declaration forms the number of headings has been reduced on average to a third of the previous number

2 types of declarations have to be done electronically and 14 types of declarations can be done electronically; all other types will be available electronically by the end of 2004

in 2002 7.2 million electronic declarations have been made by 236,000 employers

5Crossroads Bank for Social Security Cernobbio, 7 July 2003

Advantages

efficient, effective and customer-oriented service for socially insured persons and companies- efficient

• in terms of cost: same services at lower total cost• in terms of quantity: more services at same total cost• in terms of speed: same services at same total cost in less time

- effective: better social protection• in terms of quality: same services at same total cost in same time, but to a higher

quality standard• in terms of type of services: new types of services, e.g.

– push system: automated granting of or information about services– active search of non-take-up using datawarehousing techniques– controlled management of own personal information– personalized simulation environments

a minimal administrative burden more efficient combating of fraud better support of social policy

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Strategy

review of all processes and relationships- within each social security office- between social security offices- between social security offices on the one hand and socially

insured persons and companies on the other

based on clear principles relating to strategic information management- information modelling- single collection and re-use of information- information management- electronic information exchange- information protection

7Crossroads Bank for Social Security Cernobbio, 7 July 2003

Strategy

elaboration of value chains in accordance with the life situation of the customers

maximal possibility of electronic declaration, correction and consultation of information, preferably from application to application

sufficient standardization of concepts and procedures across the branches of social security

harmonized administrative instructions neutrality

- level of benefits of the socially insured persons- labour costs for the companies

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Reference directory

serves as a basis for organization of information exchange

structure- directory of persons: indicates for each socially insured

person, at which social security offices he is known, in what capacity and for what period(s)

- data availability table: indicates by type of social security office and the capacity in which a socially insured person might be known to that office, which types of data are available

- access authorization table: indicates by type of social security office and the capacity in which a socially insured person might be known to that office, which types of data that office needs and is authorized to receive from other offices in order to fulfil its duties

9Crossroads Bank for Social Security Cernobbio, 7 July 2003

Reference directory

functions- routing of information- preventive access control- automated communication of changes to information

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Place in global e-government

agreements have been reached on using the same resources for identification, authentification and electronic signatures with the federal government, the regions, the communities and the municipalities

evolution towards a network of service integrators possibility of integrating all information and

transactions in other portals (federal, regions, communities, municipalities, sickness funds, trade unions, etc.)

Ministry of Finance has been offered the possibility of developing this system further to evolve towards a pre-completed tax declaration

11Crossroads Bank for Social Security Cernobbio, 7 July 2003

Network of services integrators

InternetInternet

Extranetregion or

community

Extranetregion or

community

Extranetsocial

security

Extranetsocial

security

Servicesrepository

SSI

SSI

SSI

FPS

FPS

Servicesrepository

FedMAN

FPS

R/CPS

R/CPS

Servicesrepository

PublilinkPublilink

City Province

Municipality

Servicesrepository

Serviceintegrator(CBSS)

Serviceintegrator(FEDICT)

Serviceintegrator

12Crossroads Bank for Social Security Cernobbio, 7 July 2003

Most important barriers

privacy and security average public sector project is more complex than

average private sector project, due to- interaction with a larger number of stakeholders (elected

officials, public employees, members of interest groups, voters, tax payers, recipients of public services, other governmental institutions, other government levels, …)

- execution in a less stable environment race for quick wins (cf surveymania) doesn’t stimulate

development of well conceived systems based on process re-engineering

in the public sector, there is typically no financial margin of value to be added by innovation

13Crossroads Bank for Social Security Cernobbio, 7 July 2003

Most important barriers

intermediaries often perceive e-government as a threat

skills and knowledge need for radical cultural change within government,

e.g.- from hierarchy to participation and team work- meeting the needs of the customer, not the government- empowering rather than serving- rewarding entrepreneurship within government- ex post evaluation on output, not ex ante control of every

input

14Crossroads Bank for Social Security Cernobbio, 7 July 2003

Critical success factors

E-government as a structural reform process- process re-engineering and integration

- back-office integration for automated granting of services

- integrated and personalized front-office service delivery support of and access to policymakers at the highest level co-operation between all actors concerned based on repartition

of tasks rather than centralization of tasks quick wins combined with long term vision focus on more efficient and effective service delivery rather than

on the fight against fraud respect for legal repartition of competences between actors legal framework creation of an institution that stimulates and co-ordinates

15Crossroads Bank for Social Security Cernobbio, 7 July 2003

More info

have a look at stand 43 Crossroads Bank for Social Security

www.ksz.fgov.be

National Office for Social Securitywww.rsz.fgov.be

portal sites- social security portal: www.socialsecurity.be- federal portal: www.belgium.be (stand 17)

Th@nk you !

Crossroads Bank for Social Security