The government's decision to merge PTS and Digg strengthens the work on digitization
TechSverige welcomes and views positively the government's decision to merge the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS) and the Swedish Agency for Digital Government (Digg). The merger will give Sweden a single authority in the field of digitalization, which can contribute to increased coordination and a stronger ability to develop a secure and competitive Sweden at the forefront of digitalization.
"We welcome the government's decision to consolidate responsibility for digitalization issues into a single agency. This sends an important signal about the ambition to strengthen Sweden's position in digitalization. The merger creates the conditions for more coordinated work in step with rapid technological development and in close collaboration with entrepreneurs and the business community," says Pia Högset, economic policy expert at TechSverige.
TechSverige has repeatedly highlighted the need for an ambitious digitalization and tech policy, as well as clear and unified responsibility for digitalization issues. If Sweden is to succeed in the digital transformation of the public sector and secure a competitive market, it is important and welcome to see initiatives that strengthen a secure and accessible infrastructure and the use of AI and data.
For the merger to succeed, it will also require a mandate and resources, which we expect the new authority to receive. The government has announced that Sweden's new AI strategy will be in place by early 2026 – this provides every opportunity to focus on application, expertise, regulatory support, and innovation in order to unleash the power of the business community and ensure that Sweden takes a leading role in global AI development. The new digitalization authority should be part of this direction and follow-up.
"Digitalization is key to meeting major societal challenges, from sustainability and skills supply to welfare and competitiveness. A unified digitalization authority with a clear mandate and sufficient resources will strengthen the conditions for seizing opportunities and addressing challenges in the ongoing digital development, says Robert Liljeström, economic policy expert at TechSverige.
TechSverige looks forward to continuing its work on developing Sweden's digitalization policy, including the implementation of relevant strategies and initiatives in the areas of digitalization, AI, and security. Together with the new regulatory structure, this will create an important foundation for a smart and secure Sweden at the forefront of digitalization.