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6 Eur. Data Prot. L. Rev. 294 (2020)
Estonia, the Digital Nation: Reflections on a Digital Citizen's Rights in the European Union

handle is hein.journals/edpl6 and id is 307 raw text is: 294 I Reports Estonia Estonia, the Digital Nation: Reflections on a Digital Citizen's Rights in the European Union Paloma Krbbt Tupay* 1. Introduction - The Success Story of 'E-Estonia' In December 2017, The New Yorker published an article with the headline 'The Digital Republic'. The digital republic described therein is Estonia. Almost 90% of the Estonian population uses the In- ternet regularly, 99.6% of banking transactions are done electronically, 99% of public services are avail- able online, without queueing.2 Only marriage, di- vorce and the sale of real estate cannot be conclud- ed exclusively online.3 More than 95% of people submit their income tax return online, 95% of da- ta stored by hospitals and family doctors is digital.4 Entrepreneurs establish new businesses and sub- mit their annual reports via the e-business register.5 Since 2002, more than 500 million Estonian digital signatures have been used, more than in the rest of the European Union altogether.6 To put it in the words of the President of Estonia, Kersti Kaljulaid: DOI: 10.21552/edpl/2020/2/16 Dr iur Paloma Krddt Tupay, Lecturer in Constitutional Law, School of Law, Department of Public Law, Tartu University, former legal adviser to the President of Estonia. For correspondence: <palomakreet.tupay@ut.ee>. The author thanks Monika Mikiver and Maris Juha for their valuable advice and helpful suggestions. The responsibility for the correctness of any information, statement and opinion stated in the article resides solely with the autor. All Internet links in this contribution were last accessed 1 May 2020. An extensive version of this report, giving a full overview of developments in Estonia towards becoming an e-state as well as numerous additional examples of data processing related provi- sions can be found online at <https://www.lexxion.eu/en/journals/ edpl/#access>. The extensive version will be referred to here- inafter as 'Report Full Version'. 1 Nathan Heller, 'The Digital Republic' The New Yorker (18 and 25 December 2017) <https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/ 12/18/estonia-the-digital-republic>. 2 Enterprise Estonia, 'e-Estonia facts' <https://toolbox.estonia.ee/ media/1780> . 3 Enterprise Estonia, 'e-governance' <https://e-estonia.com/ solutions/e-governance/>. Concerning the obligatory involvement of the notary in agreements concerning the transfer of real estate, there are already initiatives to replace the necessity of physical presence of the parties by video transmission. 'globally there is no other digital nation that has a state'.7 In the last 29 years, Estonia - a country of 1.3 mil- lion inhabitants, a bit larger than the Netherlands8 and half covered by forest - has strode forward in seven-league boots. Estonia regained independence in 1991, which ended a period of more than 50 years occupation by the Soviet Union. The traces the for eign rule left on the country where immense. The economy was on its knees, the state system ailing. Everything had to be reinvented from scratch, and the Estonians did so. One of the things they did was to put their long dream of a free, democratic coun- tryon solid ground: on 24 June 1992 Estonians adopt- ed the Constitution of the Republic of Estonia (EC) by popular vote.9 Several steps prepared Estonia's path to the information society and it becoming a leader in e-government.10 Already since 2000, the so- called e-Cabinet provides the means for a paperfree governmental decision-making process.1 In the 4 ibid. 5 Enterprise Estonia, 'e-Estonia guide' (2019) 4, 9 <https://e-estonia .com/toolkit/>. 6 ibid. 7 Speech of the President of the Republic of Estonia, 2 November 2018 at Columbia University <https://president.ee/en/official -duties/speeches/14790-president-kaljulaid-at-columbia -university/index.html> . 8 Netherlands total: approx 41.5 sq km, Estonia: approx. 45.2 sq km. Eurostat, 'Living in the EU' <https://europa.eu/european -union/about-eu/figures/I ivingen>. 10 11 The Constitution of the Republic of Estonia (Eesti Vabariigi P6hiseadus 1992), English translation accessible at the State gazette <https://www.riigiteataja.ee/en/eli/521052015001/ consolide>. Since 1 June 2010, the Estonian state gazette Riig- iteataja is published online exclusively at <https://www .riigiteataja.ee/index.html> and contains next to the official Estonian legal acts English translations of several of them. English translations of Estonian legal acts are available at <https://www .riigiteataja.ee/en/>. Cf Report Full Version. e-Estonia guide 8 (n 5). EDPL 212020

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