Goal 2: The Nordic-Baltic region is secure, connected, and integrated

Interconnected, secure and robust digital infrastructures that are interoperable across borders in the Nordic-Baltic region is an essential building block and an enabler to become the most integrated region in the world. The Nordic-Baltic countries are already characterized by a high level of digital maturity rooted to a vast availability and usage of digital services, skills, and connectivity in each country. Coupled with this maturity, the trust and the like-mindedness in the region composes a foundation to pursue the benefits of multilateralism and to make the Nordic-Baltic countries the most digitally interconnected region in the world. To achieve this, a joint effort is needed to further strengthen the cross-border digital infrastructure, accompanied by commonly promoting the mutual interests of the Nordic-Baltic countries on European and global level.

Interoperability and a harmonised regulatory framework are enabler for integration and competitiveness. Cooperating on the development and implementation on new and existing EU regulation will be increasingly important. Cooperation on standards to enable sharing of data across borders will increase digital and data-driven interaction between relevant Nordic-Baltic stakeholders, both in the public and private sector.

This means the creation of shared enablers for public and private entities to be able to offer their digital services across borders, while also coordinating and strengthening the Nordic-Baltic countries’ efforts in harmonizing, implementing, and influencing the relevant developments at European and international level. This involves collaboration on main elements of digital infrastructures, such as interoperable digital identities, frameworks for sharing of data and provisioning of key services to support mobility in the Nordic-Baltic region. For concrete results, coordination, and collaboration with key service areas and entities responsible for these will need to be an important part. This also requires sustained and increased collaboration when it comes to the implementation of EU regulation in our region.

Robust and secure digital services, safeguarding users' privacy and ensuring that personal data are stored and processed in a secure and trustworthy way, giving everyone the ability to better control their own data, are crucial for sustained trust in digital services, which in turn forms the basis for the digital transformation. However, increasing security in digital services may decrease their accessibility if not carefully considered.  “Secure-by-design" must go hand in hand with useability and “inclusive-by-design".

Development of a regional voice that is influential on European and international level on matters related to cross-border digital infrastructures, by leveraging and strengthening the existing cooperation in this domain. This could be achieved by connecting and coordinating the various efforts, initiatives and experts related to digital infrastructures, as well as linking the national priorities of each country with the goals and subgoals of MR DIGITAL. This could for instance be done by working towards bringing the responsible entities for key areas in each country together to form cross-border arenas for anchoring and consolidation on matters related to digital infrastructures, with the aim of fostering increased secure connectivity and mobility in the region.

Cooperation may include promoting collaborative networks within the Nordic-Baltic region, facilitate communication and technical discussions on 5G technology advancements and other digital infrastructures, as well as identifying challenges and emerging trends specifically relevant for the Nordic-Baltic regulatory landscape.

Closely connected to the other subgoals, and building upon existing initiatives, work towards enabling increased sharing and re-use of data across borders in the Nordic-Baltic region. This could be done by building common understanding, creating, and sharing of knowledge, and aligning on key frameworks through joint efforts to harmonize and influence related developments internationally, and by seeking to link these with the national regulatory, technical, and semantic considerations in each country.