Denmark is fourth most digital country in the world

Denmark comes fourth place in the Digital Economy and Society Index 2020, which tracks the progress of digitisation in areas like connectivity, digital skills and digital public services in the EU.

Denmark ranks fourth out of the 28 EU Member States in the European Commission’s 2020 edition of the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), which tracks the progress of digitisation in areas like connectivity, digital skills and digital public services.

Digital responses to Covid19 and economic recovery

Denmark has taken a number of targeted measures in digital to deal with the COVID-19 crisis and the work on a recovery plan for the economy. Initiatives to minimise contagion and to support the health system are on the top of the agenda for the country.

Online video consultations have been extended nationally to ensure that patients can contact their general practitioners without exposing themselves or the general practitioner to COVID-19.

“Looking forward, as regards the DESI indicators that are especially relevant for the economic recovery after the COVID-19 crisis, Denmark is very advanced on 5G and is above EU average in the digital skills, digitisation of businesses and digital public services indicators”

-DESI 2020

Businesses in Denmark are the most digitised

Let’s take a closer look at why Denmark comes third place in the digitisation index. The main reasons include Denmark’s excellent connectivity, the widespread use of Internet services among the Danes, and the level of digitisation of business, which is second to none in the EU.

Connectivity: #1

Denmark is the leader in the connectivity dimension, improving its score at a pace faster than the EU average. In the 5G readiness indicator, Denmark ranks 4th with fixed broadband and mobile network coverage significantly above the EU average.

Use of Internet services: #4

Denmark has more internet users than any other EU country. Danes are keen to do a range of activities online. The most popular activities are listening to music, watching videos and playing games (90%) and online banking (94%). Danes go online to read news (85% of internet users), much higher of 72% in the EU.

Integration of digital technology in business: #5

Denmark ranks 5th in the EU on the integration of digital technology in business. Denmark leads the EU in terms of the level of digitisation of business, with 53% of businesses being highly digitised (26% in the EU).

Danish businesses take advantage of the opportunities presented by e-commerce with 33% of SMEs selling online (EU average is 18%). In addition, 10% of SMEs sell across border to other EU countries, with 18% of their turnover generated online. 32% of businesses use social media, 41% use cloud services and 14% use big data services

Human Capital: #7

Denmark has human capital well above the EU average. Denmark performs very well and above the EU average on digital skills, while the proportion of ICT specialists and female ICT specialist has stabilised since 2018.

The ‘Danish Technology Pact’, one of the initiatives included in the national growth plan, provides initiatives designed to improve Science, Technology, and Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) skills. The main objective is that 20% more Danes will complete non-dimensioned higher STEM education, and that 20% more will complete a STEM vocational education in ten years

National strategy for digital growth and AI

The Strategy for Denmark’s Digital Growth consists of 38 initiatives through which the government aims to integrate the use of new technologies, enhance the digital skills of Danes to be equipped for the future digital economy and to improve growth and prosperity in Denmark.

With a political agreement from February 2018 called ‘Initiatives for Denmark’s Digital Growth’, the government has allocated almost DKK 1 billion (approximately €134 million) until 2025 to the implementation of the strategy.

In March 2019, the government launched the ‘National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence ’. The aims of the strategy is for Denmark to be a front-runner in the responsible development and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), to benefit individuals, businesses and society as a whole.

Do you want to know more about doing business in Copenhagen?

If you want to know more about IT/Tech business opportunities in Greater Copenhagen, please contact Oliver Hall, Head of Tech Investments, on e-mail: ohall@copcap.com or phone: 0045 21 84 74 44.