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Dec 2025
This article was originally published in Decoding, our monthly briefing on the latest trends in government technology. Sign up here to receive future editions directly in your inbox.
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We launched Decoding to make complex GovTech topics more accessible and relevant to decision-makers. Over the year, it has become our channel for exploring how emerging digital technologies can support public-sector innovation, rooted in a Danish perspective but firmly connected to a broader European and global context.
In its first year, the series has covered ten thematic issues, including AI in public-sector workflows, digital identity, cybersecurity, quantum technologies, digital resilience, and the data-driven green transition. Each issue aims to connect policy, technology, and practice to inform real-world decisions.
→ Find all previous issues of Decoding here.
Looking ahead to 2026, Decoding will continue as a resource for international partners and EU policymakers, incorporating insights from our delegation services, partnerships, and strategic initiatives. Our goal is to provide useful, practical analysis to guide discussions on digital governance and public-sector innovation.
Thank you to everyone who has read along, shared perspectives with us, and contributed to the conversation this year. We look forward to continuing the journey together in 2026, and we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
In this edition:
Europe entered 2025 under growing pressure. Amid geopolitical uncertainty and rapid technological evolution, digital resilience became a core pillar of European policy. Digitalisation went from being a driver of efficiency to becoming a key instrument of European competitiveness and sovereignty.
Throughout the year, Decoding explored how this reality played out in practice. From artificial intelligence in public-sector workflows and the evolution of European digital identity, to cybersecurity, interoperability, and Digital Public Infrastructure at home and globally, a pattern emerged: Europe has built significant digital capacity, and the responsibility that comes with deploying it at scale has been taking shape throughout the year.
That responsibility was framed within a broader global context, marked by a changing geopolitical landscape and increased European cooperation. From the impact of a new US administration's move to roll back federal AI guardrails in the name of competitiveness, to Europe's renewed calls for digital sovereignty, 2025 has been a year of pivotal change.
Initiatives such as the EU AI Act, the Digital Services Act, the EUDI Wallet, growing investment in quantum technologies, and a focus on the responsible use of AI in the public sector have provided a common policy backdrop. As the year progressed, attention shifted from ambition to accountability: questions of bias in automated decisions, security-by-design, cross-border operability, and an interdependent AI market have moved from the margins to the centre of public debate.
In a year that began with AI hype and ended with AI-slop becoming word of the year, one thing has become clear: digital transformation is not only about technology, it’s also about governance, trust, and building systems that serve people.
Looking to 2026, Decoding will continue to explore the latest GovTech developments, offering insights and analysis that matter to our readers. We look forward to navigating these challenges together and sharing what’s next in the world of digital transformation with you in the coming year.
After a year of debating digital sovereignty and resilience, Europe is entering 2026 ready to move from strategy to execution. The challenges and shifting global dynamics of 2025 underscore the need for Europe to strengthen its internal cooperation while expanding partnerships beyond traditional allies. The recent US National Security Strategy makes clear that Europe can no longer assume the United States will act as the reliable partner it once was. In this context, Europe must act decisively to safeguard its digital autonomy and foster a resilient, citizen-centred digital ecosystem.
Several developments will shape the year ahead. The EU Digital Identity Wallet will move from design and building blocks to real-world deployment as it becomes available in all EU Member States, enabling interoperable, cross-border digital identities. European GovTech cooperation is becoming more structured and operational. A notable example is the launch of the Digital Commons European Digital Infrastructure Consortium (DC EDIC), a European effort to strengthen digital sovereignty by coordinating national efforts to develop open, interoperable and reusable digital solutions that can be shared across borders.
Regulatory milestones such as NIS2 and the Cyber Resilience Act, which will apply from September 2026, and the operationalisation of the EU AI Act in August, will embed accountability, transparency, and risk management across digital infrastructure and services.
Beyond regulatory milestones, Europe faces a strategic turning point. The US's focus on its domestic priorities and its uneven commitment to European institutions mean Europe must increasingly rely on itself. Events such as the EU’s enforcement of the Digital Services Act against X, and subsequent reactions from US officials framing European regulatory action as an attack on the American people, underline a growing divergence in perspective on digital governance, sovereignty, and the rule of law. Actions previously considered collaborative, such as countering disinformation, safeguarding citizen data, or regulating platform transparency, are now portrayed as threats to US priorities.
In this context, Europe’s path forward is clear: it must strengthen internal collaboration across member states, operationalise its digital and regulatory frameworks, and expand engagement with the Global South. As the Global South assumes a decisive role in shaping international norms and economic influence, Europe’s ability to project values-based, rules-oriented cooperation will define its resilience and strategic autonomy.
In short, 2026 will be a year of implementation: from frameworks to functions, from design to deployment, and from ambition to accountability. Europe will need to operationalise its policies, scale solutions across borders, and strengthen strategic partnerships globally, all while staying true to its commitments to transparency, trust, and citizen-centric governance.
In 2025, Digital Hub Denmark strengthened its role as an international GovTech connector, working at the intersection of public institutions, private companies, and partners to advance digital transformation of public sector services.
Throughout the year, Digital Hub Denmark engaged closely with European and global counterparts to translate ambition into operational capacity while promoting international collaboration. This work culminated in Beyond GovTech 2025, held during Denmark’s Presidency of the Council of the EU, which demonstrated how national strengths can contribute to broader priorities on digital sovereignty, responsible AI, digital identity, and digital public infrastructure.
A defining feature of Digital Hub Denmark’s work in 2025 was the growing strength of its partner ecosystem. Through its formalised partnership programme and Partner Advisory Board, Digital Hub Denmark created a structured platform where public authorities, companies, and experts contribute knowledge, shape priorities, and support international engagement.
This partner backing was essential to Digital Hub Denmark’s European relevance. Strategic partners supported high-level events, contributed concrete use cases, and played a central role in engaging with international delegations seeking practical insights into how digital government works in practice.
As Kurt Nielsen, CEO of Partisia, highlights:
“As a partner and member of Digital Hub Denmark, we are proud to bring deep knowledge and insights on digital infrastructure and digital identity. We’ve seen firsthand the value of welcoming delegations from across borders, which have further enriched this work, offering perspectives that strengthen our shared commitment to interoperability, building inclusive and trusted digital systems.”
Through joint activities and international outreach, partners helped demonstrate that European GovTech success depends on solutions that are both technically robust and institutionally grounded.
In 2025, Digital Hub Denmark hosted 81 international delegations from 36 countries, with the majority involving strategic partners directly. This reflected a shift in global demand: governments increasingly sought not inspiration alone, but targeted collaboration and proven models for deploying ethical AI, digital identity, and secure digital infrastructure at scale.
For partners, this collaboration also strengthened Europe’s collective GovTech capacity. As Per Tejs Knudsen, CEO of cBrain, notes:
“Digital Hub Denmark has been an invaluable partner in expanding cBrain’s international footprint. Through joint activities, knowledge exchange, and access to a broader network of public-sector leaders, we’ve been able to demonstrate how cBrain's digital platform, built for government, can scale globally. The partnership has supported our mission and amplified our outreach - and the strong visibility we gained through Digital Hub Denmark’s flagship event, Beyond GovTech, was particularly important in showcasing our work to international stakeholders.”
Reflecting on the year, CEO Nicolaj Geller Christensen highlights that what resonates most with European and international partners is not a single technology, but how digital transformation is governed:
“Clear roles, accountability, and trust between institutions and with citizens are what make digital systems work. The Danish model is attractive because it is coherent and pragmatic, not because it is perfect.”
Looking ahead, Digital Hub Denmark will continue to work with its partners to strengthen Europe’s GovTech ecosystem, supporting cooperation, interoperability, and responsible innovation across borders. As Europe moves from digital policy to implementation, partnership-backed, practice-oriented GovTech will be essential to delivering resilient, citizen-centric public services at scale.
For questions, comments, or suggestions regarding this article, please get in touch with Emilia.
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