Modernisation agenda for government and public administration
Now is the time for reform! On our news blog, Marc Danneberg, Head of Public Sector at Bitkom, explains what is needed for a robust modernisation agenda.
Marc Danneberg is Head of Public Sector at Bitkom. Image: Bitkom e. V.
Germany is at a turning point. The digital transformation of our administration is no longer a topic for the future – it is a present and urgent necessity. Citizens, businesses and public institutions expect efficient, digital services without unnecessary bureaucracy and waiting times. But despite progress, the gap in international comparison remains clearly noticeable: outdated systems, unclear responsibilities and a cultural change that is too slow are slowing down modernisation.
The establishment of the Federal Ministry for Digital and Public Service is a strong signal: digitalisation is a top priority. But setting up a new ministry alone is not enough. A comprehensive modernisation agenda is needed that defines clear responsibilities, breaks down silo thinking and reforms federal structures.
What needs to happen now?
Better cooperation between the federal government, the states and local authorities is key – legally, organisationally and technically. This requires:
- Binding IT standards and architectural principles that can be decided upon by the IT Planning Council.
- Basic components and administrative services that are standardised and provided centrally – more cost-effective and efficient than individual solutions.
- A strong data infrastructure that promotes exchange between authorities, modernises registers and enables open data.
- Legal reforms to incorporate digital legislation from the outset – for example, through a general clause to reduce written form requirements.
- Centralised monitoring and binding targets, accompanied by independent control.
- Legal rights to ‘once only’ and ‘digital only’ would be a real game changer – citizens would only have to provide data once, and services would be available entirely digitally. This would relieve the burden on the administration and strengthen trust in the state.
Cooperation instead of turf wars
The future of administrative modernisation lies in cooperative federalism. Only by working together can the federal, state and local governments successfully implement structural reforms. #SCCON25 will be the central venue for this debate: for three days, politicians, administrators and the digital economy will discuss how the modernisation agenda can be specifically designed and implemented.
Would you like to learn more about this topic? The special publication of Behörden Spiegel STADT | LAND | DIGITAL on the Smart Country Convention features the full article by Marc Danneberg as well as contributions from Digital Minister Dr Karsten Wildberger, Munich's CDO Dr Laura Dornheim and many other specialist articles by Bitkom experts.
You can register for the #SCCON25 pre-magazine free of charge here: Smart Country Convention (SCCON) 2025 – Behörden Spiegel