Iceland's policy on public services

In Iceland, we provide excellent public services. These services are accessible to everyone, user-friendly and efficient. They are coordinated, transparent and cost-effective, thereby strengthening trust, supporting value creation and improving living standards in Iceland.

The policy has three objectives, reflecting the challenges identified: better services; more accessible services; and more cost-effective services. Priorities for the coming years are defined under each objective and form the basis of the policy's action plan. Indicators will also be established to monitor results.

During preparation of the policy, a detailed status assessment identified both strengths and urgent challenges in public-sector operations and service delivery. The findings show clearly that, to safeguard trust and well-being in the future, public administration must respond to demographic change, demands for improved access and the need for sustainable public-sector operations.

Based on this analysis, three key challenges have been identified as priorities for the years ahead. They are closely connected and provide the basis for the changes needed if public administration is to meet the expectations of the public and the business community for excellent services.

• Improved quality and service standards: Service quality must continue to improve through the implementation of solutions that put users' needs first. Staff must be supported to serve different users through a range of service channels.
• Improved access and equality: All users must have good access to services, regardless of their abilities, needs or place of residence.
• Greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness: Public-sector operations must become more efficient and cost-effective through stronger innovation and technological solutions, better use of data, increased cooperation and coordination, and stronger institutions and municipalities. The environmental impact of service delivery must also be kept under continuous review.

Existing indicators are used to monitor the strategy’s progress. The foremost of these is the survey of services provided by government agencies. Developments in the results of the OECD Trust Survey are also monitored, along with international indicators of progress in digital public services.

 

The policy covers a broad area because the public sector has many points of contact with users and services are delivered by a wide range of providers. Society is changing rapidly due to factors such as demographic change, increasing diversity and rapid technological development. Digitalisation is one of the most significant changes under way, driven by the public's changing need for fast and accessible services, wherever and whenever they are needed.

The new policy builds on the significant progress made in public services in recent years, particularly through digital solutions. This progress rests in part on two main pillars: robust telecommunications infrastructure and a high level of digital competence among the public. The aim is to maintain this progress and continue improving services, thereby strengthening trust in the public sector and supporting prosperity and value creation in Iceland.

The policy is based on extensive consultation with the public and on submissions from interest groups and public bodies. It covers services provided by central and local government to support integrated service delivery. It builds on previous policies, including the 2021 digital public services policy, which has now been incorporated into this policy. The policy addresses key issues identified in a status assessment informed by consultation with the public and with public-sector managers and employees, as well as expenditure analysis, service analysis, and social and environmental factors. The Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs led the policy development in collaboration with the Icelandic Association of Local Authorities and other ministries.

This objective is central to the vision of Iceland providing excellent public services that are trusted and meet today's needs. It responds directly to the consultation findings, in which users and stakeholders noted, among other things, that the complexity of the system impedes their interactions with the public sector.

Processes will be simplified so that users experience public administration as a single, integrated system. By putting users first and designing solutions around their actual needs rather than system requirements, the aim is to reduce waste and improve quality. Services will be improved for both individuals and businesses.

 

Key priorities for achieving this objective

User-centred services: Solutions are designed around users' needs. Public services must evolve continuously, guided by data and society's changing needs.

Integrated services: Users should experience continuity, regardless of which organisation provides the service. Priority is given to life events, proactive services and cross-border services.

Stronger information security: Public services must be reliable, with an emphasis on cyber and information security throughout operations.

Faster services through automation: Automation and artificial intelligence should be used to speed up services and improve quality, but never in a way that compromises rights or due process. Automation improves efficiency and frees specialists to focus on cases that require human involvement.

Employee empowerment: Targeted investment will be made in employees' continuing professional development, including service delivery skills and digital transformation, to support professional service delivery. Employees must be actively involved in implementing change so that their knowledge is used and job satisfaction is maintained. Satisfied employees are essential to excellent services.

Adaptable public administration: Public administration must have the resilience and capacity to respond quickly to unexpected challenges and social change.

Public services are for everyone, regardless of circumstances or ability. Digital technology is a key means of promoting equality: well-designed digital services greatly improve access, remove barriers associated with location or opening hours, and increase users' independence.

At the same time, people differ in their ability and willingness to use technology. To ensure equality, services will continue to be provided through a range of channels.

Efforts will be made to improve access to digital solutions for people with disabilities and strengthen the public's digital skills through support and education. Even as digital solutions are expanded, accessible assistance from staff must always remain available. This will ensure that technology benefits as many people as possible and that a lack of digital skills never leads to exclusion or loss of rights.

 

Key priorities for achieving this objective

Digital first: As a guiding principle, digital solutions should be the public's first point of contact with the public sector. Ísland.is is the public service portal, and the aim is for people to be able to access all public services in one place.

In-person services: Alternative channels will remain available to people who cannot or do not wish to use digital technology. In-person services must be visible and accessible so that users receive the same quality of service, whether they use digital or in-person channels.

Accessibility for all: All users must have good access to services, taking account of their different abilities, needs and place of residence. Work will focus on strengthening digital skills and improving access to digital services for people with disabilities, older people and those for whom Icelandic is a second language.

Open government: Public services must be transparent. People must be given opportunities to participate, and accountability in decision-making and implementation must be ensured. Public-sector information must be communicated efficiently and accessibly.

This objective supports the vision of cost-effective and efficient services that deliver maximum value to society. It responds to consultation feedback calling for prudent management and the responsible use of resources, with an emphasis on simplifying the public administration system, strengthening professional capacity and reducing waste.

To address the challenges identified in the status assessment, including insufficient cooperation and a complex regulatory framework, barriers to flexibility will be removed. Greater sharing of infrastructure and knowledge will be encouraged. Using data as a strategic resource and investing systematically in information technology will lay the foundation for innovation, data-driven decision-making and faster service development.

 

Key priorities for achieving this objective

Prudent use of public funds: Public-sector operations must be managed with an emphasis on value and public benefit. Regular expenditure analyses must be carried out to reprioritise funding in support of better services.

Greater cooperation and stronger institutions and municipalities: Efforts will be made to strengthen institutions and municipalities and increase cooperation between levels of government, reducing duplication and improving efficiency.

Stronger information technology: Investment in secure and adaptable information technology will continue, including in partnership with a diverse range of companies, so that technology can be used for the benefit of the public.

Better use of data: The use of data across the public sector will increase, and access to open data will improve. As a guiding principle, people should only need to provide information once when interacting with the public sector; data should move between institutions rather than people having to do so.

Simpler regulatory framework: Systematic efforts will be made to simplify the regulatory framework in order to improve services.

Stronger innovation: Innovation within public administration will be encouraged to develop solutions that improve services. The public sector will use innovation procurement to invite market solutions to societal challenges rather than specifying a particular product.

Extensive consultation informed the analysis of opportunities and challenges described in the status assessment and options analysis, which preceded the policy. The assessment and options were also published on the government's consultation portal, where six submissions were received. The submissions came from a broad group of stakeholders. Overall, the consultation showed broad support for the policy and for good access to services, legitimate decision-making and using data for the benefit of society.

The submissions were considered when preparing the policy. Since most were consistent with the status assessment and options, they did not change the policy's content. However, they highlighted the need for accessible services through a range of channels. The policy also emphasises cooperation between the public and private sectors on information technology, particularly open data and innovation, to strengthen collaboration with companies in Iceland. It also highlights the importance of employee participation in organisational change.