Interoperability – the key to the continued integration of the Nordic region
The vision of creating a smoother and safer entrepreneurial life for Nordic SMEs has engaged over 20 Nordic public authorities and a large number of private actors – it is now time to summarise the work and results of Nordic Smart Government & Business (NSG&B).
The NSG&B 2021-2024 Final Report is now available
The final report of the programme outlining the results, conclusions and recommendations is available here:
You can find the case catalogue outlining how 8 companies and organisations can use the NSG&B work here:
Supporting the Nordic prime ministers’ ambition
The Nordic Prime Ministers have a clear ambition of making the Nordics the most integrated region in the world and the Nordic countries are some of the most digitalised nations.
"In 2018, the company EY made a business case study that described large economic savings in the transfer of digital financial information in the Nordics. They estimated the savings at around NOK 250 billion. That was the starting point for this Nordic cooperation project Nordic Smart Government & Business. The potential was too great not to investigate this further. This is an example of how to practically realize the vision of the Nordic Prime Ministers that the Nordics should become the most sustainable and integrated region. Now the projects have been completed and we are excited to assess the results and what they can lead to in the future”, says Svein Berg Director Nordic Innovation.
A platform for continued digitalisation in the Nordics and EU
Together with private market actors, the program has driven the digital agenda forward in the Nordics while delivering results and conclusions.
"Many of our deliverables support other digitalisation initiatives in the Nordic region and in the EU”, says Programme Manager Jakob Solmunde"
"We have created a stable foundation for continued digitalisation and our semantic models can contribute to the EU Digital Identity Wallet Consortium. The Semantic Interoperability Community in EU (SEMIC) are looking into the possibility to use our model as a standard in the EU Core Vocabulary. But not only that, we carried out a large number of Nordic pilots and, among other things, have shown that Nordic companies can use eDocuments across borders easing the burdens of Nordic trade."
A Unique Collaboration for Enhanced Interoperability
In close partnership with private sector stakeholders, NSG&B has been advancing the digital agenda with a strong emphasis on interoperability.
"We have successfully agreed on a decentralized model. While our countries may not share identical standards or regulations, our systems can still work seamlessly together to support Nordic SMEs and further integrate the region. It is remarkable that five countries have collaborated so effectively on a technical level, creating significant value, and paving the way for future progress,” says Katrine Winding, Chair of the NSG&B Steering Group and Director General of the Danish Business Authority.
The program ends - but the work continues
NSG&B as a programme ends at the end of December 2024, but the collaboration does not stop there.
"We are persistent and determined to continue delivering benefits and value for our SMEs. Digitalisation initiatives are like building blocks where knowledge is passed on into new initiatives and efforts. At the Nordic level, we have decided to continue our cooperation in three central areas, all of which aim to contribute to a smoother and safer everyday business life for the Nordic region's 2 million SMEs. It is by working together we make a difference”, says Inga Otmalm Member of the NSG&B Steering Group and Director General for the Swedish Companies Registration Office.
Be a part of the continued work
Programme Manager Jakob Solmunde emphasize that:
"Together with actors in the private market, we have come a long way and achieved a lot. It has been a real joy being the Programme Manager for this important Nordic cooperation programme and I want to send a big thanks to all external stakeholders who have worked with us, your contribution has been crucial! If you are a system provider or for instance are involved in promoting eInvoicing in the Nordic region that are interested in learning more about the Nordic work, just contact me and I’ll connect you to the relevant experts”, says Programme Manager Jakob Solmunde.
Contact
Jakob Solmunde, Programme Manager NSG&B 2021-2024
Chief of Division of Danish Business Authority
Phone number: +45 35291176
E-mail: jaksol@erst.dk