dissemination of knowledge, inclusion, innovation and the competitiveness of society as a whole. The
definition of open standards in the EU is related especially to the justification provided by EIF12.
The cooperation of a broad spectrum of stakeholders is of key importance in ensuring interoperability.
Slovenia demonstrated the need for stakeholders’ active involvement in the formulation of
agreements relating to the standards applied at the national level and the promotion and
implementation of the agreed solutions in the preparations for the mandatory use of e-invoicing in
public administration. The role of the National e-invoicing forum in this process is an example of good
practice to be applied elsewhere in standardising e-business and digitisation of entrepreneurship by
reorganising the National e-invoicing forum into the National forum for e-business and digitisation of
entrepreneurship. In this process, a model will have to be designed so as to enable the inclusion of all
stakeholders (including representatives of competent authorities of public administration),
consideration of the already included elements and the prompt integration of results of agreements
in the national interoperability framework (NIF)13.
Slovenia will support the establishment of interoperability in the development of products and services
of the information society in compliance with EIF and in accordance with IOF, including the
establishment of national coordination for inclusion in the platform for the integration of stakeholders.
It will support the establishment and operation of the National Forum for e-business and digitisation
of entrepreneurship.
5.6 Use of Slovenian and the Preservation of Cultural Identity
English is the prevalent language of communication on the internet because of its global nature. This
makes it a special challenge to ensure and preserve cultural characteristics and identity in this respect.
This is particularly relevant from the aspects of e-content and e-services whose development involves
a commercial aspect. Economies of scale require the reduction of costs achieved by the maximum
number of users, which places minor language groups in a subordinate position. Slovenia is tackling
this challenge, too. The Slovenian internet community should be provided such conditions as to allow
access to the maximum amount of online information in Slovenian, which is either in original Slovenian
texts or good translations.
In culture, too, digitisation, digital content and e-services as well as public accessibility are of crucial
importance for generating added value within culture itself and within related cultural industries. They
constitute the basis for the use of digital cultural content in the processes of education, training,
research, lifelong learning and acquisition of knowledge. They contribute to the development of
creative content for making new or enriched offer and promotion of cultural heritage and the country.
Digital cultural content is one of the most effective instruments for improving Slovenia’s recognisability
and competitiveness in Europe and globally. Slovenian cultural institutions have recently digitised a lot
of content and successfully participated in international projects from digitisation; the interoperable
framework, integration of digital cultural content, re-use of digital cultural content and e-services at
12An
open standard is one adopted and maintained by a non-profit organisation, and its ongoing development occurs on the
basis of an open decision-making procedure available to all interested parties; it has been published and the standard
specification document is available either freely or at a nominal charge; it must be permissible to all to copy, distribute and
use it for no fee or at a nominal fee; the intellectual property (patents) is made irrevocably available on a royalty-free basis;
there are no constraints on the re-use of the standard.
13 IOF portal – portal of national interoperability framework, https://nio.gov.si/nio/.
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DIGITAL SLOVENIA 2020 - Development strategy for the information society until 2020