Estonia, EU – Baltic States, Forum, Markets and Companies, Medicine, Technology

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"Beginning next summer, digital prescriptions of Finland will be valid in the pharmacies of Estonia, and as of the summer of 2019 it will be possible to buy medicines at Finnish pharmacies with an Estonian digital prescription. Data exchange like this between Estonia and Finland should encourage the Nordic and the Baltic countries to develop cross-border e-services even more. We are linked together by already close economic and human relations, therefore it is only right to take a step further from here for the benefit of our residents," Ratas said at the meeting with Sipila.

The prime minister said that technical readiness for the exchange of data exists in Estonia and Finland, and now more detailed agreements have to be concluded between institutions and test carried out.

"I hope that in addition to digital prescriptions, also data exchanges between Estonia and Finland when it comes to the population and commercial register, social and health insurance, and maritime registers will become reality soon," he said.

According to Ratas, data exchanges between the Nordic and the Baltic countries and interoperability of e-services are an encouraging example for the whole European Union, by which we very practically demonstrate to the other member states how cross-border e-solutions make day-to-day life significantly easier for the people.

In addition to digital cooperation, Ratas and Sipila spoke in greater length about the project for an undersea tunnel between Tallinn and Helsinki. The prime ministers are planning to hold a new meeting in February to get a more precise picture of the different ideas for the project and their feasibility together with representatives of businesses and research institutions.

Other topics talked about at the meeting included intensification of trade cooperation between Estonia and Finland, developing a joint investment area, and the topics for the home stretch of the Estonian presidency of the EU Council.

The prime ministers decided to hold a joint meeting of the governments of Estonia and Finland in May to mark the centenary of both states and look together to the future on topics such as cross-border digital solutions, artificial intelligence, and cooperation between research institutions.

Ratas and Sipila met on the eve of the climate summit in Paris, held on the second anniversary of the signing of the Paris Climate Agreement.

The summit was convened by French President Emmanuel Macron, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and president of the World Bank Group Jim Yong Kim. More than 50 heads of state and heads of government will take part in the meeting, alongside representatives from altogether 130 countries