In this paper progress towards e‑government is perceived as contributing to the ultimate development of a Europe‑wide Information Society. We consider aspects of the development EU countries have made towards Information Society status. In the process we review current criteria and demonstrate their strong techno‑economic characteristics. We suggest that broader perspectives should be adopted in implementing e‑government. We identify some potential societal criteria necessary to attain the vision of an Information Society.

Currently in Greece, the Operational Programme for the Information Society (OPIS) is promoting ICT in the public sector. However, a content study of Greek government websites reveals that at local level e‑Government has generally not progressed beyond the information presentation stage. The findings of an online survey of government employees and interviews with key government officials suggest reasons for this. Recommendations are made for facilitating the development and implementation of full interactive local e‑Government.