Policy 4

We will cooperate willingly with the rest of society.

Central and local government must significantly increase cooperation and division of labour with the rest of society so that we can solve new societal challenges and ensure the sustainability of public finances. Strengthening willingness to cooperate means, for example, that we will use more diverse ways to interact and reinforce partnerships with the private and third sectors. We will create the conditions for diverse cooperation through legislation and flexible administrative structures. In a global world, there is also a need for well-functioning and confidence building international cooperation. We need new models of cooperation to achieve our goals, as different actors must be able to incorporate their expertise into the operating models of public governance. Examples exist, such as e-services shared across sectors, performance-based guidance models and innovative public procurement.

Move forward

Implementing the change will require at least the following actions:

  1. We will launch and develop practices and processes enabling cooperation, such as dialogue and activities within networks.
  2. We will build trust between different actors, for example through leadership that nurtures cooperation and interaction, and through clear communication.
  3. More strongly than at present, we will incorporate continuing interaction into the fundamental processes of governance, so that different sectors of government can examine issues broadly and in a people-centric way.
  4. Together we will develop digital solutions that enable smooth cooperation.