Finland and Estonia to Institute Automatic Exchange of Population Register Data
The Finnish Population Register Centre and the Estonian Information System Authority (Riigi Infosüsteemi Amet, RIA) have embarked on a programme to merge their national data exchanges, effectively creating a joint information centre for citizens of the two countries. There are over 60,000 Estonians living in Finland, and the amount of cross border traffic and economic activity is very high. By automatically updating population movements they hope to improve municipal services and social benefits. The implementation launched this month and should be complete by March 2017.
This sort of integration between neighboring countries with existing strong ties is a natural next step for governments looking to achieve greater efficiencies and provide better service to citizens. The widespread use of XBRL by business registries, securities regulators and tax authorities certainly creates a framework for mutually beneficial cooperation, and the rise of smart contracts and ledgers will only speed the process. .
