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Denmark is world champion in digital readiness: study

A new competitiveness study has found that Denmark is the global leader when it comes to digital future readiness.

Published: 22 June 2018 13:46 CEST
Denmark is world champion in digital readiness: study
Photo: garloon/Depositphotos

Overall, however, Denmark ranks fourth, due in part to a shortage of talent. 

The Confederation of Danish Industry (Dansk Industri, DI) says this is cause for concern, writes dibusiness.dk.

The study, from the IMD World Competitiveness Center, puts Denmark at number one when it comes to being digitally ready for the future.

Overall, Denmark comes in fourth, moving up one spot from last year. The overall winner is the United States, followed by Singapore and Sweden.

“This is fantastic news. I have to admit, I’d rather be named world champion in future readiness than football, because this means that we’re well equipped to succeed in the global competition for growth and jobs,” DI director Lars Frelle-Petersen said, perhaps rather controversially given the World Cup fever currently gripping the country.

“We need to be better at telling the rest of the world that we’re part of the global elite so we can ensure that the best heads and most innovative businesses are increasingly drawn to Denmark,” he added.

Despite Denmark’s impressive ranking, the study also sets off several alarm bells, according to Frelle-Petersen.

Denmark is only 44th in the world when it comes to graduates in science, and only 18th when it comes to attracting foreign specialists.

“It’s worrying that we are not good enough at educating or attracting the talent of the future. This will make it hard to be world champions four or eight years down the line,” Frelle-Petersen said.

READ ALSO: Danish companies digital front runners in Europe: analysis

The study also shows that Denmark ranks only 46th in the world when it comes to listing IT companies.

“Although a single study doesn’t necessarily represent the whole truth, there is no doubt that the challenges are real enough. It’s very rare that Danish businesses grow large enough to be listed. It will require a stronger digital mindset and more digital talents if we are to reverse that trend, and here we hope that (state initiatives) will help point to some solutions. We can’t afford not to take action,” Frelle-Petersen said. 

LIVING IN FRANCE

France to roll out ID cards app

Technology is being rolled out to allow people to carry their French ID cards in an app form - and could be rolled out to other cards, including driving licences and cartes de séjour residency cards.

Published: 4 May 2022 11:24 CEST
France to roll out ID cards app

Holders of French carte d’identité (ID cards) will soon be able to carry certified digital versions of them on their smartphone or other electronic devices, a decree published in the Journal Officiel has confirmed.

An official app is being developed for holders of the newer credit card-format ID cards that have information stored on a chip. A provisional test version of the app is expected at the end of May.

Users will be able to use the ID card app, when it becomes available, for a range of services “from checking in at the airport to renting a car”, according to Thierry Breton, EU Commissioner for the Internal Market.

All French citizens have an ID card, which can be used for proving identity in a range of circumstances and for travel within the EU and Schengen zone – the new app will be in addition to the plastic card that holders already have.

Under the plans, after downloading the app, card holders will need merely to hold the card close to their phone to transfer the required information. According to officials, the holder then can decide what information is passed on – such as proof of age, or home address – according to the situation.

The government has not given any examples of situations in which the app would need to be used, but has set out the main principles and the ambition of the plan: to allow everyone to identify themselves and connect to certain public and private organisations, in particular those linked to the France Connect portal.

READ ALSO What is France Connect and how could it make your life simpler?

Cards will continue to be issued for the foreseeable future – this is merely an extension of the existing system.

Only French citizens have ID cards, but if successful the app is expected to be rolled out to include other cards, such as driving licences, cartes de séjour residency cards or even visas. A digital wallet is being developed at the European level – Member States have until September to agree what it could contain.

READ ALSO Eight smartphone apps that make life in France a bit easier

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