Accenture's fifth annual global e-government study

The Netherlands
2004 Rank: 9 (joint)
2003 Rank: 13
2002 Rank: 11
Vision introduced: 2004
Vision title:
Rijksbrede ICT Agenda
(Federal ICT Agenda)
Vision summary:
To encourage the use of information and communications
technology in a number of areas to
create a more efficient and effective government,
while emphasizing specific areas of attention, such
as health care.
Regular Internet users (percent of population):
65.27 percent
The Netherlands
The Netherlands moved up four places in 2004, with
a significant improvement in its overall maturity
score of 12 percent. This improvement is especially
important, as the country had slipped in the rankings
for the last two years. The Netherlands is now
clearly seeing the benefits of initiatives started in
past years. The country did well across all categories,
posting above-average improvements in its service
breadth, depth and customer relationship management
scores. Four services moved from a publish
level or interact level to a transact level and 10
services moved from publish to interact. Eight
new services were added, a contributing factor
to the country’s strong improvement in service
breadth score.
The government’s 15 percent improvement in customer
relationship management score was driven
largely by some significant enhancements to its
portal, www.overheid.nl, made last year. The most
notable improvements include the ability to purchase
a mix of 2,500 public- and private-sector
products and services online, an improved search
engine that allows users to search among the more
than 1,200 existing government websites and a
youth-focused page. The newly enhanced site went
online in March 2003.
In addition to the new services that were brought
online in 2003, a number of other truly innovative,
customer-focused initiatives also surfaced last year.
For example, in the field of public transportation,
the implementation of the OV-chip was started
(www.translink.nl), which will enable customers
to pay electronically on all trains, buses, subways
and tramways based on actual traveled distance.
Following a successful implementation in Hong
Kong, the Netherlands will be one the first countries
in the world to offer such services.
In the Netherlands, more than one ministry is
implementing the eGovernment vision. In fact, most
ministries undertake eGovernment initiatives, with
each setting its own strategy and direction. Every
ministry has its own budget for eGovernment and
tries to manage its own eGovernment planning.
The three key agents in implementing the overall
eGovernment vision are the ministers of Interior
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