German government: coalition break drives digital policy forward
In the last quarter, the German government implemented more digital projects after the coalition split than before. However, every tenth project fell through.
(Image: Mummert-und-Ibold/Shutterstock.com)
In the last quarter of last year, the German government completed eleven digital policy projects. It completed eight of these projects after the break-up of the traffic light coalition, compared to three previously. This is according to the "Digital Policy Monitor" published by the industry association Bitkom. "It is good that the federal government was able to complete some important projects in the weeks before the new elections," says Bitkom President Ralf Wintergerst, assessing the figures.
Federal government completes a third of digital projects
The implemented plans include the agreement between the federal and state governments on the Digital Pact 2.0, the strategy for autonomous and connected driving and the reintroduction of digital employment contracts. Since the beginning of the year, it has been possible to conclude employment contracts by email, for example, without the need for a printed version or a signature. Contract amendments and supplementary agreements can also be implemented paperlessly. However, notices of termination and termination agreements must still be in written form on paper.
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By the end of the year, the federal government had implemented 115 of the 334 digital policy projects - around a third. Currently, around 55 percent of the plans are still in the implementation phase. However, more than one in ten projects has not yet been started. Wintergerst is therefore pushing for an independent digital ministry under the new government. It should have sufficient resources and start work as soon as possible after the new elections, he demands. He sees a particular need for action in the digitalization of administrative processes.
Since August 2023, Bitkom has been monitoring the implementation status of the German government's digital projects, difficulties in their realization and their significance for the economy and society in its "Digital Pact Monitor". The association comprises over 2,000 members from the IT and telecommunications industry, whose political and economic interests it publicly represents. Most recently, another Bitkom study showed that companies disagree on how artificial intelligence will affect the labor market and the demand for skilled workers.
(sfe)
