Published : 03/02/2026 - 5 minutes read
Customer Success Stories
Federal Service Platform: the backbone of digital data exchange at FPS BOSA
FPS BOSA now processes 3 billion messages per year, a volume that has increased tenfold in just five years thanks to a solution tailored to Belgian needs.
Three billion. That is the number of messages sent each year through the Belgian federal government’s data exchange platform. Five years ago, that number was ten times lower. Behind this spectacular growth lies an infrastructure that few citizens know about, yet one that is essential to the daily functioning of public services: the Federal Service Platform (FSP).
“The federal government aims to simplify administration and digitize its services,” summarizes Malik Weyns, domain manager at FPS BOSA (Federal Public Service Policy and Support). To achieve this ambition, FPS BOSA has invested in this central platform, which enables public organizations to share data smoothly and securely.
In practice, the FSP functions as a unique hub: users need to log in only once to access all information for which they are authorized—whether it originates from federal, regional, or local administrations. Consider the example of a citizen requesting a marriage certificate through their municipality’s online portal. The information is automatically retrieved from the database of the federal Ministry of Justice via the FSP, without the user having to take any additional steps.
The range of available data continues to grow, for example with the recent integration of information from notaries. “The number of messages exchanged through our platform has increased tenfold over the past five years,” confirms Malik Weyns. “This significant rise has put additional pressure on our systems. Yet thanks to our preparation and continuous improvements to the platform, there have been no major incidents or quality issues.”
The cloud is not a goal in itself
To support this growth, FPS BOSA relies on Inetum, which currently provides full technical support for this highly secure platform. “Data security and privacy always come first,” emphasizes Stefan Smeets, Business Unit Lead at Inetum. “Together, we are building, step by step, a stable and reliable digital platform for data exchange. For many organizations, the cloud is a logical choice, but it is not the only path: it’s about what works best in the given context.”
While many organizations opt for a “cloud-first” strategy for their digital platforms, FPS BOSA has deliberately chosen a hybrid approach, with the FSP operating largely on-premises. Digital platforms generally perform better in the cloud, but it’s not an absolute requirement. This pragmatic choice reflects a broader trend: organizations increasingly combine different types of cloud to meet their specific needs, whether related to cost, scalability, or data sovereignty.
Public clouds such as Microsoft Azure, the most widely used platform in Belgium, offer clear advantages in terms of flexibility and advanced cybersecurity. But the cloud is never a goal in itself. “This is a great example of how organizations can create a scalable data exchange system that improves the quality of their services,” concludes Stefan Smeets. The digital transformation of the Belgian government continues, with a clear objective: enabling citizens and businesses to exercise their rights proactively, without unnecessary administrative steps.