The Baltic nation has made significant progress in using digital technologies to enhance the efficiency and accessibility of public services. That’s how it has been positioned at the forefront of e-governance, earning it recognition on the global stage.
…As reflected in its impressive overall maturity score of 85 points (out of 100 points in total) in the E-government Benchmark 2023 report. This places Lithuania in the 7th position out of the 35 countries surveyed.
Lithuania is aiming to transform national and local government processes by automating the data exchange between public institutions.
To this end, it integrates systems and public registers, enables data reuse, and digitalises public services that (until recently) were only delivered in the physical form.
In 2023, they included a project to modernise the state information platform (Electronic Government Gateway) by enabling users to do an advanced search for information on public and administrative services.
(This reform is expected to be completed by 2026)
Key figures of Digital Lithuania
Lithuania stands out as a digital frontrunner, surpassing the EU average in providing efficient digital public services for both individuals and businesses.
The country’s impressive digital landscape is reflected in key figures (from the E-Government Benchmark Report)
- Online service availability: With a remarkable 86% of its services accessible online, Lithuania showcases a strong digital infrastructure
- Data transparency: A notable 100% of governmental portals in Lithuania provide clear information on the use of personal data, emphasising the nation’s dedication to ensuring transparency in its digital governance practices. The EU average is 56%!!
- eID integration: A significant 95% of services in Lithuania accept eID login, contributing to a seamless and secure online experience for users. (The EU average is 70%.)
- International collaboration: Lithuania stands out as one of the few EU countries that already accepts foreign eIDs for over half of its services, underlining its commitment to international collaboration and inclusivity in its digital ecosystem.
- Prefilled information: Impressively, 93% of digital services in Lithuania come with prefilled personal information, streamlining user interactions and enhancing the efficiency of online transactions. (The EU average is 68%.)
The country also excels in providing advanced digital services, particularly in the healthcare sector.
The Electronic Information System of Health Services & Cooperation Infrastructure (ESPBI IS) boasts a remarkable score of 92, making Lithuania the second-highest performer in the EU for online medical records.
This system covers almost 100% of healthcare providers and pharmacies.
Moreover, the Lithuania e-Government system adopts a user-oriented and proactive approach, following the once-only principle.
This means that users are not required to manually input data over and over again, as the system automatically retrieves information from the country’s various databases and public registers.
Very convenient for citizens.
Compound e-services, offering a range of related procedures to users based on their needs, further illustrate the country’s innovative and user-focused digital strategy, even if they pose demands on the governmental back-office due to the utilisation of heterogeneous data sets.
What about digital skills?
I believe Lithuania is making progress in enhancing its population’s digital skills, although there’s room for improvement.
Here are some key points:
- Current initiatives: Lithuania lacks a specific digital skills strategy, but it’s actively engaged in various initiatives to bolster the digital proficiency of its citizens. Notably, the 2020-2030 Industry Digitisation Roadmap and collaboration on the National Skills Strategy with the OECD are commendable efforts.
- Population’s digital proficiency: Approximately 49% of the Lithuanian population possesses basic digital skills, just slightly below the EU average of 54%. When it comes to more advanced digital skills, Lithuania scores 23% (a bit lower than the EU average of 26%.) This data suggests a need for focused efforts to elevate the digital competencies of the citizens.
I think it’s noteworthy that while there’s room for improvement, Lithuania has shown progress, particularly in the realm of ICT specialists. The share of ICT specialists in total employment stands at 4.4%, slightly below the EU average of 4.6%, but notably higher than the previous year’s figure of 3.8%.
Additionally, the proportion of ICT graduates among all graduates is currently at 4.7% — reflecting positive momentum in this crucial area.
Final thoughts
While the country excels in providing accessible online services and transparent government portals (especially in the EU), there should be more focus on enhancing digital skills through various initiatives.
Despite all that, Lithuania’s commitment to digital innovation is evident in the steady rise of ICT specialists.
Sources:
https://publicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en-us/Data/Country-Information/id/99-Lithuania
https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/desi-lithuania https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/library/country-reports-digital-decade-report-2023
