The primary responsibility of the Division for International Coordination is the coordination of the interests of the Danish public sector regarding EU legislation with an impact on Denmark’s digital public services and service infrastructures. Additionally, the division is responsible for Denmark’s cooperation on public digital services with a number of international partners.
Digital government is high on the international agenda, and European and international cooperation is increasingly important to the Agency for Digital Government. Both in existing and proposed EU legislation, there is a focus on cross-border digital services, and it is important that this legislation is aligned with the secure and user-centred digital services in Denmark. At the same time, Denmark seeks to increase the general level of public digital services in EU to ensure more uniform and coherent public services across borders.
EU legislation applies directly to a number of the Danish public sector’s systems and digital solutions. For this reason, it is important that the interests of the Danish public sector are promoted in negotiations. The Division for International Coordination works to ensure that Denmark has a say in proposals, initiatives, and projects that have an impact on the national public digital services infrastructure as well as the public sector’s delivery of digital services.
As part of this work, the Division for International Coordination runs a Danish Government’s forum for digital government. The purpose of the forum is to ensure that all relevant interested parties in Denmark have the opportunity to comment on EU legislation.
The Agency for Digital Government is responsible for Denmark’s participation in the Nordic-Baltic partnership on digital government in the Nordic Council of Ministers (MR-DIGITAL). MR-DIGITAL provides a unique possibility for testing and developing cross-border public services, as the 11 countries share similar administrative practices. During the Danish presidency of the Nordic Council of Ministers in 2020, ministers adopted the declaration Digital North 2.0, which sets the direction of Nordic-Baltic cooperation on digital technologies until 2024. In the same year, the Cross-Border Digital Services Programme was adopted with a significant focus on interoperable digital solutions throughout the region.
Read more about the Nordic Council of Ministers for Digitalisation
In addition to the Nordic-Baltic partnership, Denmark also participates in a number of other forums for cooperation on digital government, including the Digital Nations, OECD, and the EU Coalition of the Willing. All are part of developing relationships with countries that are also interested in building a strong and reliable digital public sector, and the forums provide an excellent platform for sharing inspiration and best practices.
Read more about our agency's international cooperation
Denmark is a leading country on digital government and digital public services, and has through the years placed well in international rankings. Denmark is often highlighted for its joined-up approach to public digital services as well as private-public partnerships. The Division for International Coordination coordinates surveys contributing to these rankings, and ensures that Denmark is accurately represented in them.
Due to Denmark’s reputation as a digital frontrunner, the Division for International Coordination receives many enquiries, and many delegations of public officials and embassies are interested to learn about the Danish digital journey. The division is responsible for all enquiries as well as coordinating visits abroad.
Due to the growing interest of delegations, the Agency for Digital Government has established a partnership with Digital Hub Denmark. Digital Hub Denmark is responsible for coordinating delegation visits with an interest in digital government, including relevant speakers such as representatives from the Agency for Digital Government.
Learn more about visits and delegation services at digitalhubdenmark.dk
