Denmark - Common Public Digitalisation Strategy 2026-2029

The Common Public Digitalisation Strategy 2026–2029 was launched in 2025 by the Danish Government, Local Government Denmark (KL), and Danish Regions. The strategy aims to create the framework for a digital public sector through user-friendly solutions and the smart use of data and new technology. This framework will ensure that citizens experience coherent and intuitive digital services, without compromising the trust that 82% of the population had in public digital solutions in 2024. At the same time, Danish values must be protected in a global, digital world characterised by large tech companies. 

Digital Skills Objectives 

The strategy aims to enhance digital skills and inclusion across Denmark by ensuring that the public sector remains intuitive and accessible to all citizens. A key objective is to design user-friendly digital services that actively incorporate principles of digital inclusion, allowing individuals to easily navigate platforms on their own or confidently assist others through shared tools like Digital Power of Attorney (Digital Fuldmagt). Furthermore, the objective is to empower public sector employees by leveraging technologies like artificial intelligence to support their professional expertise and free up valuable time, ultimately bridging the gap between rapid technological advancement and the digital literacy of both citizens and staff.

The joint public digitalisation strategy is divided into four focus areas, including 12 initiatives that the parties will implement.

Focus Area 1: A user-friendly digital public sector 

Citizens should encounter intuitive digital solutions so that everyone can navigate public services either independently or with assistance. This will be achieved through the following four initiatives:

• Stronger focus on digital inclusion: Digital inclusion and simple user pathways must be actively considered when public authorities design legislation and develop digital solutions.

• Dissemination and development of Digital Power of Attorney: It should be easier for relatives and support persons using their own MitID to act digitally on behalf of others in a trusting and secure way.

• Increased use of Digital Consent: It must be easier for citizens and public authorities to give, obtain, and handle consent, thereby simplifying administrative tasks.

• A credible and cohesive entry point: Citizens must experience a more cohesive public sector that makes it easier to navigate digital Denmark. Therefore, borger.dk is being further developed to remain a credible entry point and source of information from the public sector.

Focus Area 2: Responsible and value-adding use of new technology

Denmark must lead the way in the responsible and value-adding use of new technologies in the public sector, thereby freeing up more time for essential tasks to benefit employees, citizens, and businesses. This will be achieved through:

• Digital assistant in the public sector: Citizens must be offered a more coherent public digital service that is more based on the citizen's specific situation and needs. Citizens must be able to communicate with the entire public sector without navigating complex systems across authorities. Therefore, the joint public parties initiate a collaboration to explore the potential of an AI-based digital assistant. The initiative develops and tests a common digital architecture, principles and standards.

Focus Area 3: A coherent digital foundation

Coherent digital pathways in the public sector are often challenged by a lack of data sharing across authorities, which can be attributed to diverging data standards and legal uncertainties. The deployment of shared infrastructure and architecture will create the conditions for coherent citizen journeys and better public governance.

The following initiatives will strengthen coherence:

• Further development of the Joint Public Digital Architecture (FDA): The FDA will be expanded to support better data sharing, the reuse of successful solutions, compliance with EU regulations, and the ability to adopt new technologies.

• Implementation of the digital identity wallet: Following an EU regulation, all Member States must make a digital identity wallet available to citizens, offering a secure and efficient way to exchange information. The state, municipalities, and regions will work together to leverage the wallet's potential, ensuring relevant content and the ability to issue certificates across public sectors.

• Better cross-sectoral pathways for citizens receiving social support: Citizens should experience seamless coherence in processes that span multiple public sectors so they do not have to carry the burden of coordination alone. Improving data sharing between authorities will make it easier for employees to gain a quick overview of relevant information and ongoing initiatives across services (e.g., psychiatry and municipal support).

• Digital platform for building materials and raw resources: This initiative will make it easier for public developers to design new buildings using salvaged and recycled materials from existing structures. The platform will facilitate matchmaking by providing insights into materials available in buildings slated for conversion or demolition.

• Data quality and traceability in waste and soil management: Systemic digital integration on waste and soil management will drive resource optimisation and support a circular economy. Ensuring system interoperability, data standardisation, and focused quality assurance of data on soil and construction waste will promote efficiency, improve traceability, and make it easier to detect fraud in analysis and sampling.

Focus Area 4: Increased digital sovereignty and digital development in Europe

Denmark is increasingly affected by global trends in digital and technological development, particularly from tech giants and their business models. This presents both opportunities and challenges that we must navigate and manage more effectively.

Two key initiatives will ensure competition, accountability, and increased sovereignty:

• Collaboration on EU implementation: The state, municipalities, and regions will strengthen cooperation on implementing EU digital legislation to ensure the transition is as smooth, appropriate, and value-adding as possible for citizens and businesses.

• Promoting digital sovereignty: To address the growing public sector dependence on digital services and infrastructure from a few global tech giants, the joint public parties will analyse technology choices, promote alternative providers, and foster market plurality. This aims to reduce vendor dependency and economic vulnerabilities while supporting authorities' sovereignty over their own solutions and data, complemented by practical pilot projects.