When the Estonian political and technical leadership began laying the foundation for what would become e-Estonia, it decided on certain principles:
- Decentralization. There's no central database, and every stakeholder, be it a government department, a ministry or a business, gets to choose its own system in its own time.
- Interconnectivity. All the elements in the system have to be able to work together smoothly.
- Open platform. Any institution can use the infrastructure.
- Open-ended process. As a continuous project to keep growing and improving organically.
Infrastructure
The two key ingredients in the infrastructure are the X-Road and Digital ID. The X-Road is a critical tool that connects all the decentralized components of the system together. It's the environment that allows the nation's various e-services databases, both in the public and private sector, to link up and operate in harmony no matter what platform they use. Digital ID is the nationally standardized system for verifying a person's identity in an online environment. It opens the door to all secure e-services while maintaining the highest level of security and trust.
Other systems have since been linked, thanks to these. But the Estonian government didn't create programming resources – it acted as a smart purchaser. The licenses belong to the taxpayer, but the solutions were created by private companies. That way costs were reduced, while flexibility was maintained.
Government
Transparency and efficiency at all levels of government have been boosted by advanced e-services.
Business
Business has been made easy by fast interaction, lower bureaucracy and access to critical information.
Citizens
Integrated e-solutions have created an effective, convenient interface between citizens and government agencies.
Healthcare
Doctors, patients, hospitals and the government are all benefiting from the convenience, access and savings that e-services have brought.
Education
e-school has revolutionized the way students, teachers and parents interact, creating a generation that is both better-educated and tech-savvy.
Public Safety
Estonia is safer thanks to systems that give law enforcement officers the tools they need to do their jobs more efficiently and effectively.
Cyber Security
A unique partnership between public and private IT sectors keeps Estonia one step ahead of cyber security threats.
Utilities
Innovations in the utilities and intelligent homes industries save energy and result in a cleaner environment.
