Finland and Estonia discussed deepening cooperation to boost digitalisation in logistics
Finland's Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka and Estonia's Minister of Entrepreneurship and Information Technology Kristjan Järvan met in Helsinki on 30 August 2022 to discuss deepening cooperation between the two countries to accelerate the digitalisation of logistics.
Cooperation between Finland and Estonia plays an important role in promoting the digitalisation of logistics. In Finland, cross-border cooperation is included in the government resolution on the digitalisation of logistics, published last year. Cooperation is expected to increase efficiency in international transport, create new business opportunities and promote the achievement of emission reduction targets.
"Today we have agreed to give a further boost to cooperation between our two countries. Our aim is to ensure the seamless digitalisation of logistics between Finland and Estonia, and we will continue our efforts to achieve this," says Finland's Minister of Transport and Communications Timo Harakka.
"Estonia and Finland are known for their successful digital services and therefore it is only natural to expand our digital know-how to logistics. Governments can make the switch from paper to digital smoother and faster for our businesses. That is why I proposed to our good Finnish colleagues to be leaders of the fast uptake of electronic freight transport information and to form a working group between Finland and Estonia to coordinate issues related to digital logistics and to seek funding opportunities together", says Estonia's Minister of Entrepreneurship and Information Technology Kristjan Järvan.
Seminar focused on potential cooperation between Finland and Estonia
Ministers Harakka and Järvan also addressed 'Digitization of logistics - an obligation or an opportunity for cooperation?', a seminar organised by the Embassy of Estonia in Helsinki and the Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications.
The seminar focused on cooperation opportunities between Finland and Estonia in logistics digitalisation, paperless goods transport and digital services. The seminar also discussed the implementation of the Regulation on electronic transport information (eFTI Regulation), which will bolster the digital transformation of the sector and the interoperability of systems across Member States.
Further topics on the seminar agenda included the EU's digital and data initiatives enabling the utilisation of data across sectoral boundaries. Business opportunities in logistics between Finland and Estonia and the benefits of digitalisation in logistics from the perspective of security of supply were also discussed.
Cooperation between Finland and Estonia to promote the digitalisation of logistics is likely to be included on the agenda of the intergovernmental meeting between the two countries in late 2022. Finland and Estonia are currently working together on initiatives such as the deployment of electronic financial data. Cooperation will also continue between project parties in both countries concerning the EU calls for proposals to be launched in the autumn.
Inquiries:
Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications
Noora Lähde, Senior Specialist, tel. +358 50 479 5441, [email protected], Twitter @NooraLahde
Maria Rautavirta, Director of Unit, tel. +358 40 718 5975, [email protected], Twitter @mrautavirta
Estonian Ministry of Economic Affairs and Communications
Laura Laaster, Head of Public Relations, tel. +372 51 89 611, [email protected], Twitter @EconMinEstonia
