Nordic-Baltic co-operation on digitalisation

The goal of this co-operation is a digital single market in the Nordic and Baltic countries. Important elements in this the provision of access to digital services across national borders and to promote innovative digital solutions that contribute to the digital green transition. In addition, the focus area “digital accountability” is key due to strengthened digital inclusion and responsible digital management.

The Nordic and Baltic countries are among the most digitalised and innovative in the world. To leverage our competitive advantage, the ambition is for the region to continue its digital integration.

MR-DIGITAL works to find common solutions to the problems that citizens and businesses in the countries encounter when they study, work, or run businesses across borders in the region. At the same time, innovative technological solutions are promoted that make it easier for entrepreneurs to develop new services for individuals and companies.

Digitalisation is a cross-sectoral area, spanning several different councils of ministers in Nordic co-operation and is based on the ministerial declaration Digital North 2.0. This declaration, drafted in 2020, is based on the Nordic-Baltic countries’ common priorities and is based on the previous ministerial declaration, Digital North 2017-2020.

In order to promote work with digitalisation, co-ordinate efforts, and follow up on the goals of the declaration, a council of ministers for digitalisation (MR-DIGITAL) was established in 2017. The aim is to promote development in three areas:

1. Increase mobility and integration in the Nordic and Baltic region by building a common area for cross-border digital services.
2. Promote green economic growth and development in the Nordic-Baltic region through data-driven innovation and a fair data economy for efficient sharing and re-use of data.
3. Promote Nordic-Baltic leadership in the EU/EEA and globally in a sustainable and inclusive digital transformation of our societies.

To achieve these goals, MR-DIGITAL and the member countries are implementing a number of projects, which are taken care of by the individual countries but co-ordinated and managed centrally via the secretariat at MR-DIGITAL.

The action plan describes how the Nordic Council of Ministers will work to achieve the objectives of the vision through a number of initiatives in connection with the vision’s three strategic priorities: A green Nordic Region, a competitive Nordic Region, and a socially sustainable Nordic Region. There are twelve objectives linked to the strategic priorities. The strategic priorities and objectives will govern all activities in the Nordic Council of Ministers over the next four years. The action plan is divided into twelve sections linked to the twelve objectives.