Riga, 13 October 2020 - Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development (VARAM) joined a joint declaration by the Nordic and Baltic States region “Digital North 2.0”. It aims to significantly strengthen regional leadership in the field of digital transformation. The declaration commits to increasing mobility and the integration of digital services in the Nordic and Baltic regions and to jointly address societal challenges by creating a common space for cross-border digital services, secure data exchange and joint technological development.
Minister Juris Pūce (AP!): “The Nordic countries, together with the Baltic States, are prepared to achieve high targets and become an example for the rest of the world as the most sustainable and digitally integrated region. Latvia has long been recognised as one of the countries with the highest digital maturity in the EU, so our knowledge and experience are essential in promoting the digitisation of the region. We are prepared to jointly develop and implement advanced digital technologies, realise innovative data-use capabilities, and provide the public with safe and complex cross-border services solutions s. Joint strategic cooperation will provide Latvia's citizens and entrepreneurs with new long-term services in the region. "
The Digital North 2.0 declaration is an important step in the area of digital transformation and will highlight strategic actions for cooperation between the Nordic and Baltic States by 2024. . The Nordic and Baltic region aims to become the most connected and sustainable region in the world by 2030, jointly by developing and implementing advanced digital technologies, as well as by creating a single data environment and ensuring cross-border access to services for citizens and entrepreneurs.
The countries of the Baltic States and the Nordic region are already seeing opportunities to become strong leaders and an example for the rest of the world in the area of digitisation, and this commitment, along with the adoption of the declaration, needs to be made even more convincing. . By signing the declaration, countries have committed themselves to work closely together to improve the infrastructure for cross-border digital services and to provide services that support the free movement of persons, goods, services, capital and data in the region. The declaration also provides for the promotion of a comprehensive cross-border use of electronic identification (eID) U. States also undertake to create technical and legal conditions for digital integration.
Digital North 2.0 aims to promote joint leadership among the Nordic and Baltic States in the European Union countries and globally by promoting the development of a digital competence society. . For example, promoting the development of new 5G testing equipment and monitoring the development of 5G applications U. The Nordic countries and the Baltic States are already implementing a variety of cooperation measures to accelerate the region's digital maturity and to improve the accessibility of cross-border digital services. .
Europe's public habits are changing: demand for a multilingual digital environment, services available regardless of the language in which we are speaking is increasing rapidly. . Latvia is currently focusing on integrating digital solutions within the country. In the future, the focus should be on the use and development of common service infrastructure components in the Baltic and Nordic regions.
The Nordic and Baltic States data area opens up many possibilities for opening up public-sector ICT infrastructure to private-sector entities, thereby contributing to the digital transformation of business and economic growth.
The declaration was made by ministers in the digital field of the Baltic States and the Nordic countries on the basis of the common priorities of the Nordic and Baltic States and the previous Digital North 2017-2020 declaration.
The information was prepared by:
Public Relations Department
Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development
Tel. 20200305; 67026533,
e-mail: prese@varam.gov.lv