What are Interoperability regulatory sandboxes?
‘Interoperability regulatory sandbox’ means a controlled environment set up by a Union entity or a public sector body for the development, training, testing and validation of innovative interoperability solutions, where appropriate in real world conditions, supporting the cross-border interoperability of trans-European digital public services for a limited period of time under regulatory supervision.
The Interoperable Europe Act (Regulation EU 2024/9032) introduces interoperability regulatory sandboxes to support policy experimentation and the scaling of innovative solutions for cross-border reuse. Interoperability regulatory sandboxes stand out by their:
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Focus: enhancing cross-border and cross-sector interoperability across of EU digital public services.
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Scope: targeting public sector bodies and Union enitities operating/involved in trans-European use cases.
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Mission: advancing an innovation-friendly regulatory environment that fosters digital transformation.
Through the regulatory dialogue facilitated by these sandboxes, stakeholders can gain an evidence-based understanding for adopting or implementing innovations, with the aim to enhance legal certainty. They may also encourage adjustments to legal frameworks, making them more suited to current needs.
The focus on cross-border challenges sets interoperability regulatory sandboxes apart from other approaches. For instance, they can facilitate data sharing across borders or support social security coordination, among many other applications.
Explore existing regulatory sandboxes
Interoperability regulatory sandboxes are a new innovation support measure.
For the moment no interoperability regulatory sandbox is officially established. If you want to find out more about how to start an interoperability regulatory sandbox, please click here.
Other regulatory sandboxes for inspiration
First regulatory sandbox on Artificial Intelligence presented
