On November 9th in Copenhagen, the Cross-Border Digital Services (CBDS) programme, financed by the Nordic Council of Ministers, brings together leading voices and experts from the digitally advanced Nordic and Baltic countries to address the current- and future state of digital connectivity and cross-border mobility in Europe.
The seminar aims to illuminate current far-reaching societal developments and benefits that are resulting from the Nordic-Baltic co-operation on digital transformation and how we together can meet the challenges accompanying digitalisation.
Three years has passed since the Nordic and Baltic countries declared their commitment towards creating the most sustainable and integrated region in the world. This declaration, known as the, Digital North 2.0, communicated objectives of building a common area for cross-border digital services, a fair data economy for economic and sustainable growth, and taking increased leadership in Europe´s digital transformation. Since then, several initatives on digitalisation have materialised, such as the CBDS Programme. Its target: to accelerate digital transformation and mobility in our region.
Recognizing recent developments and discourses connected to digital transformation, both at EU-level and worldwide - How far has the Nordic-Baltic digital flagship crossed amidst the waves of technological hype, concerns for privacy and digital exclusion? Moreover, what does it take for cross-border services to succeed? In Copenhagen, we wish to adress questions like these together. Both by revisiting what milestones that has been achieved by the CBDS Programme´s projects and linked initiatves, and by employing a sober eye to how the Nordic and Baltic countries may contribute to the shaping of Europe´s digital future in a safe, ethcial, and citizen-centric manner.
Nordic values are integrated in the heart of every level of our endeavours. Reflecting this, the CBDS Seminar will headlight a profile of opennes, equality, and trust. Upholding these values is essential if we are to acheive our 2030 vision of a green, competitive, and socially sustainable Nordic region.
The seminar´s concept
For some of our partners, this seminar will represent the culmination or near-end of their projects, while others are just embarking on their journey. As such, the CBDS Seminar will be an arena for building new knowledge and insights, as well as inspiration for future work and increased cross-border collaborations.
The seminar will feature plenary sessions in which you may experience the official release of the Handbook on cross-border data exchange, practical showcases of the Once Only Technical System, a panel debate between Nordic-Baltic consortia that are piloting EU´s digital identity wallet, and anticipations for- and experience with artitificial intelligence in the public sector.
In parallel to the plenary sessions, the seminar offer public sector experts and relevant stakeholder to engage in topic-specific workshops. The workshops will be facilitated by the projects in the CBDS Programme, and address topics such as identity matching, versatile use of legal databases, using health services, and stuyding in another Nordic-Baltic country. Participation in the workshops is optional.
While building knowledge and new insights are on the agenda, an auxiliary aim of the seminar is to facilitate a meeting place for experts and people working with digiital transformation in the region - where new relations and networks can be established.
Preliminary Agenda - Plenary sessions
Sessions to be held in the main conference hall.
Program at 08:30. Networking breakfast with
A light breakfast will be served for the early birds
Program at 09:30. Opening ceremony - Setting the scene with
Welcome from the Cross Border Digital Service Programme Secretariat. High-level opening of the seminar.
Program at 10:15. Delivery and first-hand look at the the Nordic-Baltic Handbook on cross-border data exchange with
Project manager Anne Kari presents the results from three years of working on the project “Achieving the World’s Smoothest Cross-Border Mobility and Daily Life through Digitalisation”, creating a shared model and practices for improving the effectiveness of cross-border data-exchange.
Program at 10:45. Showcase of Nordic-Baltic Pilots and Proof of Concepts, Once Only Technical System, Single Digital Gateway with
Project manager Mervi Kylmänen-Paakki has led a group of Nordic-Baltic legal and technical experts to assess and test the proposed OOP architecture in the Single Digital Gateway regulation (SDGR). The project ended in June has been promoted by the European Commission as key stakeholder enabling the implementation of the SDG.
Program at 11:15. How do we solve the challenge of identity matching? with
The Nordic Baltic eID (NOBID) project, plays a key role in enabling eID-interoperability in the Nordic and Baltic region. Every citizen should be able to use its national eID to access services in another Nordic and European country. To achieve this, challenges related to identity matching must be overcome. Doing so, requires international collaboration and a joint approach.
In this session, a declaration on identity matching will be delivered, signifying the path towards cross-border interoperability and increased mobility.
The session will be led by the NOBID project, together with Civitta and SK ID Solutions, who has provided the Nordic and Baltic region with a state of the art analysis of identity matching in the region.
Program at 13:00. Panel discussion amongst Nordic-Baltic Large Scale Pilots for the European Digital Identity Wallet with
Last year, the Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL) awarded multiple consortiums with presence from the Nordic and Baltic region to test and leverage the proposed European Digital Identity Wallet. In the digital realm, the wallet is communicated by the European Union as the next moon landing, and symbolizes giant leap towards user-centric digital transformation and online autonomy.
In this session, a panel discussion amongst consortia will commence, offering insights to their work and what benefits and use cases the wallet may offer.
Program at 14:00. Leave no one behind - Digital Inclusion in action, delivery of a white paper with
Digital inclusion is complex and multifaceted. Whereas the Nordic and Baltic countries have developed robust digital governments and score high on digitalisation indexes, exclusion from the online environment increase on the other side.
To mitigate digital exclusion in the Nordic and Baltic countries, Nordregio and NOBID will showcase the interlinkages between inclusion and electronic identity. The session will also announce the delivery of a white paper on digital inclusion.
Program at 14:45. Public sector and artificial intelligence, an unexpected union? with
Artificial intelligence (AI) is high on the agenda of the world's government. The Nordic and Baltic region is no exception.
In this session, a dig into use-cases and opportunities of artificial intelligence for the public sector is scheduled. The session will offer perspectives, practices, and solutions concerning AI, from both, Nordic and Baltic, public and private stakeholders. More information TBA.
Seminar workshops (optional)
Time slots for the seminar´s workshops, led by the respective projects in the CBDS Programme. Do note that the latter the workshops run in parallel to the some of the sessions in the main hall. The latter three workshops also commence at the same time.
Program at 13:00. Workshop on the versatile use of the Nordic and Baltic legal databases with
This workshop will be led by the third work package of the project “World’s Smoothest Cross-Border Mobility and Daily Life Through Digitalisation”.
During this workshop, Aalto University Research Group on Semantic Computing and Finnish Ministry of Justice will introduce a Proof-of-Concept of a Joint search interface for Nordic and Baltic legislative databases, utilising machine readable data formats.
The Proof-of-Concept utilises two different legal databases, the Estonian Riigi Teataja and Finnish Finlex, with the Lawsampo platform.
Welcome to the workshop to hear more on data structures, metadata, utilisation of keywords and thesauri, as well as building search elements based on life events.
Program at 14:45. Workshop on identity matching with
This workshop will be led by NOBID together with Civitta and SK ID Solutions. More information TBA.
Program at 14:45. Workshop on building semantic interoperability in cross-border health services with
Workshop on building semantic interoperability in cross-border health services
This workshop will be led by the second work package of the World’s Smoothest Cross-Border Mobility and Daily Life Through Digitalisation, "Using health services in another Nordic or Baltic country".
Presented as a case example we'll hear more on Digital Maternity Cards and utilisation of the Finnish Interoperability platform.
Program at 14:45. Workshop on studying in another Nordic-Baltic country with
“This workshop will introduce the handbook of cross-border data exchange from the perspective of educational credentials. The agenda is flexible based on the participants’ interest. More information about the project responsible for the workshop can be found here: Improved cross-border digital services for studying abroad in the Nordic and Baltic countries (CBDS-Study).”
Reserve your spot here:
The event will take place at the IDA Conference centre, located in the heart of Copenhagen. A light breakfast and lunch will be served, as well as an afternoon networking aperitif after we close the seminar.
Please note that is a physical limitation for this seminar, and that the organizer will have to prioritise if necessary. This applies to both the plenary sessions as well as the workshops. Please also note that participation is free of charge and that it is possible to participate digitally.
For accommodation, please contact Wakeup Copenhagen Bernstorffsgade here, and use reference number 2476905.
If you have any questions about the event, how to participate, or where to stay please contact the CBDS Secretariat by email at: cbds.secretariat@digdir.no