ABSTRACT
Estonia has managed to gain global attention through its advanced information and technology infrastructure, especially through its efforts to implement egovernment and further the application of information technology in banking, education, health, transport and public administration. Estonian membership of the European Union (EU) has accelerated the improvement of Estonian public administration, which encompasses the main goals of the promotion of democracy, transparency and accountability. Today, Estonia stands as the egovernment leader in Central and Eastern Europe1 and as 3rd in the world in egovernment systems.2 At the same time, it is setting an example in terms of edemocracy throughout the European Union, being the first country in the world to enable all its citizens to vote over the Internet in political elections. But it was not just the EU membership that expanded the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Estonian society; it was mainly the strategic thinking within the government to implement e-democracy, good attention to detail and a positive attitude towards ICT policy, innovative thinking and the development of a legal framework, and the economic growth and the macroeconomic stability of the country. The progress made by Estonia in the field of information technology has led to the development of some of the most dynamic ICT companies in the world, placing Estonia on the world map with three major technological innovations: Kazaa (software that allows file sharing), Skype (Internet-based free phone service) and Hotmail (free web-based e-mail) – all three originating from Estonia.
