To continue to move towards a true e-state, anyone who comes here should be given an Estonian digital identity. In other words, the state should ensure that Estonian citizens who have left the country or foreigners who have lived here for a short or long period continue to be linked to the country as e-residents. Estonia would thus gain credibility and attract investors.
Read more: EE: After the e-government, here come the e-citizens
Margus Püüa, of the Ministry’s State Information Systems department, said that while some research has been carried out in Estonia already, a substantive impact analysis on the use of and satisfaction with eServices has yet to be conducted. He added that the purpose of the study was to develop a method and use it to assess how much time and money eServices can save.
Read more: EE: Electronic solutions make public services up to 12 times faster
The purpose of the Information Society Strategy 2020 is to jointly create the conditions and agree on using the opportunities provided by information and communication technology (ICT) to manage the Estonian economy and society more efficiently.
Read more: EE: Government approves the development of Information Society Strategy 2020
Hänni examined a chapter in the Cabinet's governing program named “From E-State to I-State” that aims to shift e-development focus towards citizens. The chapter has 33 steps from affordable, ultra-fast internet for every home to creating a "characteristic face" and positive international image for i-Estonia.
The tiny Baltic country of 1.3 million people has long led the way on issues like e-government and e-health.
When Estonia won its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, its economy produced very little and its people literally went hungry following the collapse of the Soviet economy and food and goods distribution systems.
Read more: Estonia’s education experiment will be a lesson for Europe