Costa Rica showcases progress towards Universal Social Protection 2030 with support from the European Union

Universal Social Protection (USP) 2030 aims to guarantee equitable access to health services and income security (pensions, family benefits, unemployment) for all people throughout their lives, aligning with poverty eradication and the reduction of inequality.

Strengthening interoperability will help address current challenges related to the standardization of data, processes and interfaces, mitigating duplication in the allocation of social benefits and ensuring more efficient management of the social protection system.

In this context, Costa Rica has showcased progress in the technological management underpinning a modern, efficient and people-centered social system during the event "Supporting the Digital Transformation of Social Protection Systems Worldwide".

This national effort has been driven by the evolution of the National System of Information and Single Registry of State Beneficiaries (SINIRUBE), which is supported by the European Union through a cooperation programme aimed at achieving the Universal Social Protection (USP) 2030 goal.

This programme, in which Costa Rica is one of 21 countries selected worldwide, is part of the project "Digital Transformation of Social Protection" and is framed within the strengthening of the Digital Convergence Initiative (DCI), launched in 2021 to enhance interoperability and the digital transformation of social protection systems globally.

With the support of the Delegation of the European Union in Costa Rica and in coordination with Spanish Cooperation through FIAP, SINIRUBE has been participating since 2025 in this European initiative to improve governance, interoperability and data security, thus completing SINIRUBE's Interoperability Master Plan.

The Master Plan: towards a more efficient State

The Master Plan responds to the need to build a more efficient, participatory and transparent State through the use of technology and data analysis, enabling the development of an interoperability strategy that supports the effective implementation of the social protection system.

This Master Plan is also the result of an assessment carried out in 2022 using the tool "The ABC of Interoperability of Social Services" (2019) from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). The defined roadmap guides the implementation of SINIRUBE's interoperability in the short and medium term, establishing clear objectives, results and targets for the country.

The intervention aims to strengthen Costa Rica's social interoperability system, improve SINIRUBE's interoperability to facilitate data exchange with institutions and local governments, enhance technical and technological capacities for efficient and sustainable management, and update internal data exchange processes while reinforcing privacy and data security in line with international standards.

FIAP has highlighted Costa Rica's strong commitment to modernising its social protection system and strengthening SINIRUBE as a cornerstone of a more integrated and efficient public administration.

Ana Cirujano, Head of the Economic Development and Environment Area at FIAP, has stated that the implementation of the Interoperability Master Plan will improve information exchange between institutions, reduce duplication and strengthen data-driven decision-making.

SINIRUBE has been identified as a key pillar for the modernisation of Costa Rica's social State, enabling the availability of integrated, secure and high-quality social information to support better decision-making and more efficient and transparent services for those who need them most.

The European Union has emphasised that digital transformation only makes sense if it improves people's lives, promoting more interoperable, efficient and people-centered systems.

The implementation of the remaining actions under the Master Plan will enable the development of an integrated and interoperable social information system, significantly improving data exchange between institutions and SINIRUBE.