Official launch of actions to promote digital inclusion

At their meeting on 26 November, the Nordic and Baltic ministers responsible for digitalisation issued a common statement that will point the way for future actions to promote digital inclusion.

As emphasised in the statement, digital inclusion is a prerequisite to a successful digital transformation and the competitiveness of our region.

“When implemented effectively, digitalisation can improve inclusion in society. Our societies in the Nordic and Baltic regions are built on democracy, equality, human capital and social responsibility. We need to make sure that the digital transformation of our region adheres to these principles now and in the future. We have therefore now launched cooperation between the Nordic and Baltic countries to promote digital inclusion,” says Minister of Local Government Sirpa Paatero. 

The first action taken by the Council of Ministers for Digitalisation was to initiate an investigation into digital inclusion. The investigation will be completed in February 2022.

“The results of the investigation will provide the baseline for joint measures and for creating a set of indicators for digital inclusion in the Nordic and Baltic countries,” Paatero explains. 

The objective is to help the Nordic and Baltic political decision-makers achieve a shared view of the current state of digital inclusion in societies. This will support the formulation of effective policy measures to close the digital divide.

Digital identity plays a key role in enabling future services

Another topic that was widely discussed at the meeting of the Council of Ministers was measures the Nordic and Baltic countries could take to ensure the inclusion of Nordic values and a sufficiently high level of security in the European digital identity. 

Roberto Viola, Director General of DG CONNECT, who is responsible for digital affairs at the European Commission, presented the Commission’s initiative on the matter, emphasising the importance of cooperation when creating common solutions. 

Inquiries:
Katja Väänänen, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 295 530 245, katja.vaananen(at)vm.fi

The Nordic Council of Ministers is the official collaborative forum of the governments of the Nordic countries. The Council of Ministers for Digitalisation comprises the Nordic countries and the Baltic countries: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Finland holds the Presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2021.