Germany experiences a noticeable digital disturbance
In a bid to boost its digital presence, Germany has unveiled a twelve-point program for the "Digital Transformation of Administration" as part of coalition negotiations between the Union and SPD. This move comes as a response to the need for a digital "wake-up call" to achieve seriousness in e-government activities, particularly in light of incidents that underscore the inadequate digital literacy and infrastructure in German administrations.
One such incident involved the city of Dü_lmen in North Rhine-Westphalia, which lost approximately 400,000 euros due to a fake invoice scam for two fire trucks via email. Simple digital tools like mandatory e-invoicing or digitally signed PDF invoices, as seen in Italy since 2014, could have prevented such incidents.
As Germany strives to modernize its registers and streamline administrative processes, it faces the challenge of addressing decentralized and uncleansed registers as the root of the problem. A central registration office for the entire federal republic, despite its potential for addressing digital inefficiencies, is strongly opposed.
In an effort to address these challenges, the German government has allocated €6 billion through its AI Strategy 2.0 to modernize government services, improve efficiency, and promote ethical AI use. Measures include centralizing public services, integrating AI to automate routine tasks, and enhancing digital education to build citizens' technological competence.
However, Germany faces hurdles such as fragmented regulations, limited citizen involvement, and public skepticism, which hinder trust and the pace of digital transformation. To overcome these obstacles, the Free Democratic Party urges more transparency, democratic oversight, and citizen participation to increase acceptance and effectiveness.
In comparison, countries like Ukraine, Hungary, and Romania have surpassed Germany in digitalization. For instance, Ukraine's "Dija" app, used by over 20 million people, includes digital driver's licenses and tax declarations. In Hungary, as of January 1, 2023, police can query driver's licenses and registrations directly from central databases during vehicle checks.
Germany's approach seeks a balance between rapid technological advancement and safeguarding digital rights and public trust. Potential future Chancellor Friedrich Merz plans to establish a cross-departmental digital ministry with oversight powers to drive this balance. However, it remains unclear how this ministry will look and function in practice.
It is hoped that the new federal government and, from 2026, the new state government will take bold action towards digital transformation. The comparison with countries like Estonia or Austria in terms of digitalization is no longer valid, as these countries are now far beyond Germany's reach. Municipal self-government guarantee or federalism are seen as excuses for the lack of digital cooperation in Germany.
As Germany navigates its digital transformation journey, it acknowledges the need to better translate research and innovation into widespread digital adoption and global digital business success. The government aims to protect digital environments, especially for youth, by implementing stricter controls on harmful content and advocating for unified data protection oversight.
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