Is Estonia the new black?

Has Estonia’s momentum come as a leader of a world “fit for the digital age?” Will digitalization finally become a standard for societies after the pandemic?

. This European Digital trailblazer is the first digital society in the world and also a true case study. Over the last 25 years, Estonia built the first platform-government, supported by a strong start-up ecosystem.

Imagine a country where the administration doesn’t have the right to ask its citizens the same information twice in their lifetimes; where 99% of administrative procedures are done online, 24/7, with a single ID card; where one can vote, get a loan and create a business, within minutes and from all over the world… Could this model set the precedent for GAFAM-free States?

The English version is updated and augmented from the French original one, published in 2018 as:

“Demain tous Estoniens ? L’Estonie une réponse aux GAFA”. 

“one of the 10 best books of the year” award by French Television, BFM business.

”one of the 20 great books of 2018” award by the French Radio, France Inter.

the Authors:

VIOLAINE CHAMPETIER DE RIBES

French and Estonian e-resident. Violaine is an entrepreneur, who founded an Estonian company (DigeeTrips.com) which specializes in learning expeditions to Estonia. She is also the founder and president of Le Meunier Qui Dort (a storytelling agency); the Secretary-General of the France-Estonia Association; and a member of the think tank, Atelier Europe.

JEAN SPIRI

French and Estonian e-resident. Jean is a graduate of École normale supérieure-Ulm and a geographer, who worked with Michel Barnier (Minister of Foreign and European Affairs) and Xavier Bertrand (Minister of Health). He is now General Secretary of Editis one of the French leaders in the publishing industry and Head of Studies at the think tank, Atelier Europe.