Digital Transformation and Ascendancy of State Sovereignty
In a recent event organized by the state FDP in Stuttgart, the digitalization of administration was a topic of concern due to its slow implementation and dependence on other continents. Robert Müller-Török, a professor of e-government, emphasized the need for digital training for public sector employees, while Daniel Karrais, FDP digital expert and state parliamentarian, suggested centralized management by the federal government could handle services like registration processes.
Müller-Török criticized the federal patchwork of administrative services and advocated for the need for central registers, like those in Austria, for digital state progress. He stressed the importance of uniform structures for offering administrative services nationwide. The digital planning council, led by Christin Kiessling, has set uniform standards for cloud solutions, a requirement highlighted by Kiessling for ensuring digital sovereignty for the state and companies.
Marc Danneberg from Bitkom proposed that all public administration communication should be processed through a digital mailbox in the future. Danneberg also suggested standardized processes could be centralized. He emphasized modernizing registers as a key element for digital progress.
Karrais mentioned a state program of digital ambassadors that trains public administration employees. The state and economy need to work together for the development of uniform standards for cloud solutions, a point echoed by Christin Kiessling from the Schwarz Group.
Germany lags behind other European countries in digitalization due to factors such as federalism, inconsistent solutions, and lack of structures. However, politics has recognized the tasks, and special funds benefit the digital infrastructure. The German government and economy demand specific measures to improve digital infrastructure, including building massive data center capacities for AI development, easing planning and approval for new data center projects, securing power supplies with faster grid connections, developing current and new sites with integrated planning, and fostering innovation and sustainability in technology.
By the end of 2025, a national data center strategy will be established with ongoing monitoring to adapt to technological and market changes. The implementation of the NIS-2 EU directive involves increasing cybersecurity standards in administration and economy through measures like establishing a federal CISO coordinator, mandatory IT product certifications, domain data management, and heavy penalties for violations to enhance resilience of critical infrastructures.
On the state level, for example in Saxony-Anhalt, rapid deployment of digital identity solutions, pilot introduction of the European Digital Identity Wallet, sovereign cloud infrastructure for public authorities, and digital platforms for administrative processes are advocated to modernize public administration and accelerate economic development. The Federal Network Agency is designated to oversee compliance with AI regulations to ensure safe and regulated AI market activities in Germany.
Despite the challenges, the slow implementation of the Online Access Act in Germany indicates a need for improvement. The principle of local self-government may sometimes conflict with centralization of services, as suggested by Daniel Karrais. Europe, as a whole, is largely dependent on other continents in digital terms. The digitalization of administration is a pressing issue that requires concerted efforts from all stakeholders to ensure a digitally sovereign and secure future for Germany.
