The UN survey is published every two years and compares 193 UN member states on how well they use digital tools to deliver public services. Indicators cover areas such as online services, telecommunications infrastructure and human capital. The goal is to highlight how digital government can support sustainable development and inclusive growth.
In the latest edition Denmark once again scores at the very top of the EGDI ranking. Denmark, together with countries such as Finland and the Republic of Korea, is highlighted as one of the states that has consistently maintained a leading position and acts as an international reference point for digital government.
Digital habits supported by strong infrastructure
This international recognition is closely linked to how Danish citizens and companies already use digital infrastructure every day. For many people in Denmark the default starting point is digital, not paper.
In Denmark, among other things:
-
More than 90 percent of the adult population uses Digital Post when communicating with public authorities.
-
Over 5.3 million Danes use e-Boks, with around 35 million logins every month.
-
Every year more than 30,000 public and private organisations send hundreds of millions of documents through platforms like e-Boks, instead of sending letters on paper.
As a result, citizens are used to receiving official messages digitally, and organisations are used to working in secure, fully digital workflows rather than treating digital communication as an exception.
Good digital habits in Denmark: hard-won lessons
Denmark did not become a digital leader by accident. It has taken many years of decisions, coordination and sometimes difficult trade-offs between convenience and security. Among the most important lessons are:
Digital by default, with help where needed
Authorities and organisations are expected to offer digital solutions as the main option, while still providing support and alternatives for citizens who need extra help.
Shared infrastructure and common standards
Instead of each authority or company building everything alone, core solutions such as MitID and the Digital Postbox Platform by e-Boks have been built as shared infrastructure with common standards.
Security and privacy as design principles
Sensitive communication is not sent in ordinary email. It is sent through secure platforms with strong authentication, encryption and logging.
Cooperation across public and private sectors
Banks, insurers, utilities, pension funds and public authorities use the same trusted platforms for important communication. That creates familiarity and trust for citizens.
Continuous optimisation, not one big project
Digital government in Denmark is not a one-off modernisation project. Solutions are updated, extended and replaced over time as needs and technology change.
These habits make it easier to introduce new digital services and maintain trust even when the digital landscape changes quickly.
The important equation for secure communication in the public sector
For public authorities and regulated industries, digital communication is no longer just a question of convenience or cost saving. It is central to how they deliver on their mandate and how citizens perceive them.
A simple way to describe the challenge is as an equation with three parts:
-
Trust – Citizens and businesses must be able to trust that messages are genuine, confidential and reach the right person.
-
Security – Platforms and processes must protect sensitive data, meet high technical standards and comply with regulations such as GDPR and eIDAS.
-
Efficiency – Workflows must be scalable, auditable and cost-effective, so organisations can handle large volumes without losing control.
If only one or two of these elements are in place, problems appear. A very secure solution that is difficult to use will not be adopted by citizens. A very efficient solution without proper security or trust will fail in regulated sectors.
Denmark’s leading position in public digitalisation is largely due to the fact that these three factors are balanced in practice, not just in strategy documents.
The digital future must be secure and inclusive
As more services become digital, the consequences of getting communication wrong grow larger. Citizens risk missing important deadlines, organisations risk data breaches or compliance issues, and trust in public institutions can erode faster than it is built.
This is why the focus has shifted from simply “being online” to building digital trust. People need to know that when something truly important happens in their lives, the messages they receive are:
-
easy to recognise as genuine
-
delivered in a secure and stable channel
-
stored in a way that makes them easy to find again
At the same time, no one should be left behind. Digital solutions must take into account that not everyone is equally confident online, and that some people will need personal support or alternative access routes.
e-Boks as part of the Danish digital infrastructure
For more than two decades e-Boks has been part of the backbone of secure digital communication in Denmark. Today more than 30,000 public and private organisations use e-Boks to send sensitive information such as statements, contracts, notifications and policy documents to citizens and companies, both in Denmark and in other countries.
The platform is built with:
-
strong authentication through national eIDs and other secure logins
-
encrypted delivery and storage of documents
-
traceability and audit logs
-
high stability and scalability for very large volumes
In this way e-Boks helps authorities and companies turn principles about digital trust into something concrete that citizens use and rely on in everyday life.
Denmark’s repeated top ranking in the UN E-Government Survey shows that long-term investment in secure, inclusive digital infrastructure pays off. The task now is to maintain and extend this position, so that digital communication continues to strengthen trust between citizens, businesses and the public sector.
FAQs
Why did Denmark rank first in the UN E-Government Survey 2024?
Denmark ranks first because digital services are widely used by both citizens and organisations, and because the public sector has invested in shared infrastructure, common standards and secure platforms. Digital by default is the norm, and solutions are continuously improved rather than treated as one-off projects.
What is Digital Post and how is it used in Denmark?
Digital Post is the national system for secure digital communication between public authorities, citizens and businesses. More than 90 percent of the adult population in Denmark uses Digital Post to receive official messages instead of physical letters, which makes digital communication the default starting point rather than an exception.
How does e-Boks support Denmark’s public digitalisation?
e-Boks is part of the core digital infrastructure in Denmark. The platform enables authorities and companies to send sensitive information such as statements, contracts and notifications through a secure channel with strong authentication, encrypted delivery and full traceability. This helps turn digital trust principles into everyday services that citizens actually use.
What can other countries learn from Denmark’s approach to digital public services?
Other countries can learn that long-term success comes from combining trust, security and efficiency in practice. This includes building shared infrastructure like national eIDs and a Digital Postbox Platform, setting clear standards, supporting citizens who need help, and working closely with private partners to deliver secure, inclusive digital services at scale.
