Priority of digital communications by public authorities
The Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo's Government states that Finland will gradually shift to making digital services the primary channel for accessing the services of public authorities. During this government term, work will begin on making digital communications the primary channel used by public authorities. In this context, this means notifications by public authorities to citizens. The aim is that citizens who use e-services will primarily receive notifications sent by public authorities electronically. At the same time, alternative channels for communicating and for accessing services will be available for people who are unable to use digital services and communication channels.
Public authorities currently mainly post paper notifications to customers, unless the customer has given separate consent to receiving electronic notifications. This usually means consent to the use of messages in the Suomi.fi service. The objective of the reform is that public authorities will in future primarily deliver documents and notifications digitally to customers who use digital services provided by the authorities. People who cannot or do not want to use digital services will continue to receive official notifications by post. If people who are using digital services want to stop receiving digital messages, they can do so by sending a notification.
Switching to primarily electronic notifications would speed up the flow of information between public authorities and the public and allow more people to use services independent of time and place. It would also create savings for public administration and streamline official processes.
To achieve this objective, the Ministry of Finance has launched the Programme to Promote Primarily Digital Official Communications for the term of 27 March 2024–31 December 2027. The reform will be implemented through two parallel development projects. The first project will implement the changes to legislation and information systems necessary to deliver official communications primarily digitally to administrative customers who are already using digital services. The chosen solution is based on using Suomi.fi Messages. At the same time, upcoming changes will be communicated to the public, digital support will be developed and public authorities will be supported in achieving their productivity targets relating to digital notification procedures. The aim is for the necessary legislative amendments to enter into force at the beginning of 2026.
The second development project will implement the legislative and information system changes necessary to expand the digital notification procedure used by public authorities beyond the use of Suomi.fi Messages. This expansion would create the option to use private digital mailbox services alongside Suomi.fi Messages. People could choose to receive electronic notifications sent by the authorities and other digital communications in their private digital mailbox service. The aim is for people to be able to choose the service they want to use and be able to choose to receive all digital mail through a single service. A solution using private digital mailbox services will be designed in cooperation with key stakeholders. The goal is to allow the use of digital mailbox services in the notification procedures of public authorities as soon as possible in 2026.
The programme has the following objectives:
- To take legislative action to make the delivery of official communications and notifications primarily digital to people for whom this is possible.
- To provide support in the form of information guidance and advice to customers of administration in this transition.
- To create savings for public administration by primarily sending official communications and notifications to administrative customers digitally rather than by posting paper letters.
- To allow the delivery of official notifications through private digital mailbox services in addition to the joint administrative messaging service.
- To increase the number of organisations in public administration and organisations performing public functions that use the joint administrative messaging service through legislative measures, information guidance, and advice and by supporting public authorities in adopting the service through a round of discretionary government grants.
- To expand and streamline the use of Suomi.fi Messages and other digital mailbox services by taking a customer-oriented approach to developing the service, which will support the productivity goals for public administration.
- To draw up alternatives and solutions for a gradual transition in public administration towards the more extensive use of digital services as the primary channel for accessing the services provided by public authorities.
Inquiries:
- Niko Ruostetsaari, Senior Specialist (project manager)
- Sami Aalto, Ministerial Adviser (legislation)