Finland aims to become world leader with technology and knowledge

The Government resolution on technology policy outlines the common goal and objectives for Finland’s technology policy, to which the Government and its ministries are jointly committed. The Government adopted the resolution on technology policy in its plenary session on 31 March.

The aim of technology policy is to improve the development and utilisation of technologies and the operating environment that supports these for companies and civil society. The ultimate goal set for technology policy is that in 2030 Finland will be the most successful and best-known country that generates wellbeing from the research, development and utilisation of technology. 

The four key objectives of technology policy are: 

1.    Finland will be one of the most competitive nations in the world and the world’s best place for technology companies. 
2.    Finland will be home to many of the world’s best-known and most attractive concentrations of technology education, research, skills and investments. 
3.    Finland will have the world’s most favourable public sector towards technology and innovation, which will provide the basis for the well-being of individuals and undertakings. 
4.    Finland will benefit extensively from boldly developing and applying technologies that respond to global challenges. 

According to Minister for Local Government Sirpa Paatero, whose tasks include the digitalisation of public administration, reaching the targets requires a long-term policy that extends beyond Government terms and cooperation across administrative branches.

“In this resolution we set common targets for the development and utilisation of technology. This will help guide the work done in the ministries in the right direction and cross borders between administrative branches when this is necessary,” Paatero says.

Many measures already under way 

The Government is committed to promoting the objectives set in the resolution, and the ministries will get started with their implementation in the entire public sector. The technology policy objectives set in the resolution will be promoted across the Government terms.

Many measures are already under way or being planned. These include the development work for introducing a digital identity for private individuals and companies and electronic identification across the borders. There are also plans to create the conditions for using digital economic data as the basis for the real-time economy. In addition, the aim is to make sure that the national legislation is technology neutral and broadly enables automation.     

The implementation of the resolution will be monitored annually as part of the operational and financial planning of the ministries.

Inquiries:
Anita Juho, Senior Specialist, Secretary-General of the Technology Advisory Board, tel. +358 295 530 747, anita.juho(at)gov.fi