Increased productivity through development of information society
Information society development and digitalisation play a key role in sustaining Finnish well-being and increasing productivity. Efficient utilisation of information and communications technologies in different sectors of society leads to increased productivity.
On 26 November 2010, the Government submitted to Parliament a report entitled 'Tuottava ja uudistuva Suomi - Digitaalinen agenda vuosille 2011-2020' (Productive and innovative Finland - digital agenda for the years 2011-2020).
The report defines future objectives for the development of the information society along with measures necessary to achieve them. It also discusses the current situation of the information society and provides a description of information society projects carried out in public administration during this Government's term in office.
Key objectives for the upcoming years include the opening up of access to public data and its efficient use, promoting user-oriented service development, securing the position of ageing people as active citizens and promoting sustainable development by adopting new technologies.
Having been the first country in the world to define a 1-Mbit Internet connection as a universal service, Finland continues as a pioneer in the field of information society development. The Government aims at making high-speed, 100-Mbit broadband connections available to nearly all permanent residences and offices of businesses and public administration bodies by the end of 2015.
Content and services play a major role in the development of digital Finland. Services need to be user-friendly and secure, and designed to meet the needs of everyday life. Aspects such as multi-lingual versions of services and their accessibility need to be considered early on at the planning stage.
Finland supports the development of the Digital Market in the internal market of the EU and at the global level. Freer circulation of web content and services makes supply more versatile and paves the way for the emergence of creative economy business models.
The Government's aim is that measures to develop the information society be based on network-thinking and extended across sectors. The needs of people and society provide the starting point for service development. Effort is made to discard overlapping functions and closed information systems. Another key area is to open up access to public data in order to make it available to everyone and to enable new type of innovations.
Further information:
Ms Anna Anttinen, Special Adviser to the Minister of Communications, tel. +358 9 160 28324
Ms Taru Rastas, Secretary-General to the Ubiquitous Information Society Advisory Board, tel. +358 9 160 28617, +358 40 715 5075
Tuottava ja uudistuva Suomi - Digitaalinen agenda vuosille 2011-2020. Valtioneuvoston selonteko eduskunnalle 26.11.2010. Available (in Finnish) on the Ministry's website at www.lvm.fi.
