"0% bureaucracy, 100% digital": Estonia digitizes the last government service

According to its information, Estonia has managed to digitize all government services and is thus “finally 100 percent digital”. The government of the Baltic state has now announced this and explained that divorces have recently been digitized. Since December, couples who want to separate have been able to submit the necessary applications digitally, view pre-filled forms and finalize the divorce “with minimal stress”. The service has been a great success, with more than half of the divorce applications submitted since then having already been received digitally. By digitizing all administrative procedures, Estonia has “eliminated bureaucracy” and set an example for the world.

Making the best of difficult starting conditions

The government initiative E-Estonia is responsible for the successful digitalization. It has a history of more than 20 years and is based on the experiences of the small country following its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. With few resources, the government wanted to catch up with the West as quickly as possible and relied entirely on everything digital. Over the years, the country has built up a reputation as a pioneer in digital administration and impressed the German government with its achievements back in 2017. Germany could learn a lot from Estonia, said Federal Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel at the time, while Chancellor Angela Merkel dampened expectations in this regard.

Estonia itself has continued undeterred and can now announce an important milestone. The government explains that digitalization brings benefits for citizens. Being able to divorce digitally makes one of the most difficult events in life easier and more accessible, according to the Ministry of the Interior: “It's not just about technology, it's about developing services that meet the needs of people in difficult times”. The process includes, among other things, a 30-day period for reflection. In Estonia, 56 percent of marriages are already completed digitally and 85 percent of births are registered online.

(mho)