Finland among top EU countries in digitalisation

On 17 June 2026, the European Commission published the annual State of the Digital Decade report. According to the report, Finland is a digital frontrunner with strong digital skills, agile enterprises and leadership in artificial intelligence and supercomputing. On 7 July 2026, the Digital Decade Board published its opinion ‘A common orientation for the review of the Digital Decade Policy Programme’. The process to prepare certain sections of the opinion was led by Finland.

Further actions needed to reach EU’s digital objectives

According to the State of the Digital Decade report, the digital transformation in the EU is mixed. Progress has been made especially in the adoption of digital solutions, connectivity and the introduction of cloud and AI technologies. At the same time, the EU is facing major challenges related to skills, the development of advanced technologies and the growth of businesses. There is a shortage of ICT specialists and the EU lags behind in terms of semiconductors and the creation of large technology companies.

The increasingly tense geopolitical situation stresses the need to strengthen the EU’s technological capabilities and sovereignty and reduce the dependence on foreign technologies. According to the report, the development is slowed down by insufficient investments, market fragmentation and weak scaling-up of innovations. Reaching the EU objectives for 2030 requires larger investments, more effective implementation and closer cooperation among the EU, Member States and private sector.

In the report, Finland ranks among the top EU countries in many aspects of digitalisation. Finnish businesses are highly digitalised, and Finland has advanced quantum and semiconductor ecosystems. The digital skills of the Finns are above the average, and we are highly aware of online privacy issues and able to critically evaluate the content. Electronic public services are among the best in the EU and they are used widely. Finland has made significant investments in the digital transformation and the digital infrastructure is strong. The 5G network coverage is very good and Finland has adopted a 6G roadmap. The level of cybersecurity is also very high in Finland. Almost 80 per cent the businesses are implementing cybersecurity measures. Finland also has a comprehensive Cyber Security Strategy.

The challenges for Finland include a shortage of ICT professionals, decrease in the number of new start-ups and the people’s exposure to disinformation and harmful content. The Commission’s report points out that there are gaps in the connections in Finland’s sparsely populated areas. Like other EU countries, Finland is dependent on non-European online service providers.

Finland’s updated digital strategy, the Digital Compass, contains the national digital objectives, some of them more ambitious and extensive than the EU objectives. The national objectives are in line with the EU objectives for 2030 and the work on most of the objectives is also progressing as planned.

Finland is active in influencing EU’s digital policy

The Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030 sets the EU’s digitalisation objectives for 2030. The European Commission is preparing a proposal for the review of the programme, to be issued in early 2027. The Digital Decade Board composed of representatives of the Member States has drafted an opinion on the needs to reform the programme. Finland has been responsible especially for writing the chapter on updating the targets and indicators. 

According to the opinion, the process to update the programme must take into account the changed geopolitical situation, the security environment, technological advances and changes in EU regulation. At the same time, new priorities are proposed: digital sovereignty, cybersecurity, sustainable digitalisation, and accessibility and interoperability of data in the development of artificial intelligence, for example. The opinion also stresses reliable indicators, the user perspective, ways to reduce administrative burden and the development of funding.

What’s next?

In early 2027 the Commission will give a proposal on the review of the Digital Decade Policy Programme to be negotiated among the Member States.

Inquiries:

Aino Sipari, Director of Unit, tel. +358 295 342 011, [email protected]