After deciding last year to train workers on Google Workspace, the Dutch government has now officially signed a deal with the tech giant to use the productivity tool in its public sector. As part of the deal, the country’s public institutions have access to a range of tools including Chat instant messaging, Docs documents, Meet cloud video conferencing, Sheets electronic forms and more.
In addition to making it easier for government employees to use related products and services, Google is also working to improve the digital service experience for citizens through hybrid work. Joris Schoonis, Regional Head of Google Cloud Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg Economic Union, said:
By designing product solutions such as Google Workspace for Education, we are committed to protecting our customers’ data and privacy. The tools will empower the Dutch public affairs sector while adhering to strict security and privacy requirements.
At the same time, we look forward to providing greater flexibility of choice for public entities and are already supporting educational institutions across the Netherlands with easy access to innovative solutions, state-of-the-art security features, and greater resilience.
While Google has not given an exact timeline for when the Dutch government will start using the Workspace tools, we expect the work will roll out today. The Dutch government has been working on this solution for some time.
Even back in 2020, they were already reviewing Google Workspace for compliance with Europe’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Finally, according to the latest agreement between the two parties, Google said that the company will continue to cooperate in-depth on the advice given by the government.