Poland

Poland has been actively working on improving internet governance to ensure a safe, secure, and open internet environment. The country’s efforts are aligned with both European Union regulations and global internet governance principles.

Through various agencies such as the Office of Electronic Communications (UKE), the Polish government regulates the internet to ensure compliance with national and EU laws. This includes managing internet service providers, digital broadcasting, and telecommunications.

Following the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Poland has updated its data protection frameworks to ensure robust privacy protections. The Personal Data Protection Office (UODO) enforces these regulations.

In previous years, significant investments have been made to enhance broadband connectivity across urban and rural areas. Poland aims to provide high-speed internet access nationwide as part of the Digital Poland Projects Centre (CPPC) initiative, which focuses on reducing digital divides.

The government is also focusing on improving digital literacy and skills among the population. Initiatives like the Digital School program and various vocational training programs aim to prepare citizens for the demands, opportunities, and challenges of the digital world.

Poland has been improving the provision of digital public services. The ePUAP platform is a central point for accessing public administration services online, streamlining processes like filing taxes, registering residences, and more.

Polish stakeholders are active participants in various internet governance forums and initiatives at the regional and global levels. Danish stakeholders also participate in the Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG) events, which bring together stakeholders from the region to discuss digital policy-related issues and challenges. At the global level, Denmark is a member of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF).

Poland also has a national internet governance initiative called IGF Poland, which was established as a bottom-up, multistakeholder platform for discussing internet-related public policy issues within the country.

Poland is making significant strides toward enhancing its digital landscape through strategic initiatives aimed at fostering economic growth, improving public services, and bolstering digital literacy across the nation. These efforts are part of a broader commitment to leverage digital technologies to modernize various sectors and prepare the population for the demands of a digitally driven future.

A cornerstone of Poland’s digital strategy is the Integrated State Computerisation Programme, managed by the Ministry of Digital Affairs in collaboration with an array of public and private stakeholders. Launched in 2014 and set to continue through 2022, this initiative focuses on modernizing public administration and enhancing the efficiency of state operations through innovative digital technologies. The programme’s overarching goal is to streamline the interaction between citizens and public administration, thus making governmental services more accessible and efficient.

Looking ahead, the Digital Competence Development Programme 2020-2030 sets an ambitious agenda to significantly enhance digital skills across various demographic and professional groups. This extensive initiative targets not only general citizens but also government employees, ICT specialists, and workers within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). By doing so, it aims to equip a broad segment of society with the necessary skills to navigate and thrive in a rapidly evolving digital world.

The programme is structured to address the urgent need for increased digital fluency, ensuring that all layers of society are prepared for the technological advancements shaping modern economies. From basic digital literacy to more specialized technical skills, the initiative is a key component of Poland’s strategy to enhance its human capital in the digital age.

One of the foremost priorities in Poland’s digital strategy is the expansion and enhancement of digital infrastructure. This includes significant investments in broadband and mobile internet access, particularly focusing on bridging the digital divide between urban and rural areas. The government aims to provide nationwide high-speed internet access, which is seen as crucial for enabling digital services and fostering economic growth. To this end, Poland has adopted ‘5G for Poland Strategy‘. The 5G strategy for Poland focuses on the development of fifth-generation wireless communication networks as a high priority for the Polish government, aiming to boost the economy significantly. By 2025, the plan is to provide universal access to the internet with a minimum bandwidth of 100 Mb/s or higher for all Poles. 

Denmark has taken several steps to enhance its cybersecurity capabilities and resilience in recent years. Some of these steps are:

• The National Cyber Crime Centre (NC3) was established under the Danish National Police in 2014. NC3 increases and strengthens the work of the district police on investigative, preventive and research areas related to cybercrime in terms of enhanced qualifications and greater capacity, as well as considerable investments in technology.
• Cyber Centre at the Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET), has a special Cyber Centre that specifically addresses intelligence and investigation tasks relating to cyber threats affecting national security.
• Centre for Cyber ​​Security (CFCS), was established in 2012 as part of the Defence Intelligence Service. CFCS is the national IT security authority, Network Security Service and National Centre of Excellence within cybersecurity.
• Denmark has two national response teams (CSIRTs): The Danish Computer Emergency Response Team for Research and Educational Institutions DKCERT, which was established in 2009; and The Danish Government Computer Emergency Response Team: Danish GovCERT. Since July 2016, a new notification system has been in place for companies and authorities reporting cyber incidents.
• The National Strategy for Cyber and Information Security 2022-2024 was adopted in 2022 and focuses on ensuring secure ICT operations in government as well as empowering citizens and businesses to navigate the digital realm securely.
• Denmark has ratified CoE Convention on Cybercrime (Budapest Convention).

In 2019, Denmark launched its National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, aimed at maximizing AI’s potential while adhering to ethical standards and frameworks. The strategy’s goal is to establish Denmark as a forefront runner in the ethical utilisation of AI, fostering innovation and mitigating the risks linked with AI technology. It emphasises the significance of research, development, and educational efforts in AI to strengthen the nation’s economy and enhance public services.

The strategy highlights the critical need for education and training in AI, calling upon the Danish government to establish a vocational adult education and training advisory group. This group’s mission is to assess the labour market’s competency requirements in response to technological and digital advancements, including AI. It will explore the necessity for new initiatives, such as launching new educational programs, conducting analyses, and initiating development projects to meet these evolving needs.

Denmark and its stakeholders are also actively involved in international collaboration on AI research. For example, researchers from Aalborg University are collaborating with researchers from the US and Australia to develop algorithms that can manage systems associated with great uncertainty, with funding from the Independent Research Fund Denmark.

Notable AI companies in Denmark include Tradeshift, a business commerce platform that uses AI for payments and procurement tasks, and Creative Force, an end-to-end creative operations workflow platform that leverages AI to improve communication and collaboration in e-commerce content production. The Danish AI startup landscape has seen significant growth, with two-thirds of the identified AI startups being founded in the past four years. Many of these startups are centred in Copenhagen, where universities with significant AI activities and investors are concentrated.

The AI market size is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2024-2030) of 16.80%, resulting in a market volume of USD 7.59 bn by 2030.