Federal Government: Digital Ministry “not only on the bell shield”

The Digitalverband Bitkom has urged Union and SPD to make the planned new Federal Ministry of the Ministry of a Ministry with far -reaching skills. “The experience of the last legislative periods show that we need a digital ministry that also does justice to its name. Digitization must not only be on the bell shield,” said President Ralf Wintergerst of the German Press Agency in Berlin.

In their coalition agreement, the Union and SPD have agreed to create a new Ministry of “Digitization and State Modernization” conducted by the CDU. The exact tasks, responsibilities, the size and location of the ministry are still not known. This is still being negotiated according to DPA information.

Clarity should be made in around two and a half weeks: On May 6, CDU boss Friedrich Merz would like to be elected Chancellor in the Bundestag. The ministers are then appointed.

Difficult to resolve digital confusion

According to Bitkom, important topics such as digital policy, digital infrastructure, the digitization of the administration and the regulation and promotion of artificial intelligence and platforms should be bundled in the new ministry. So far, various digital topics have been located in several ministries and sub -authorities and there are overlaps:

The Federal Ministry of the Interior takes care of the digitization of the federal administration and the administration for citizens and companies (digital authorities and applications, online function of the ID card for identification on the Internet, linked administrative portals from the federal, state and municipalities) with the Federal Office of Safety in Information Technology (BSI) is also responsible for cyber security. – So fast data networks – is located in the Ministry of Transport, as well as the topic of data policy, which deals with the use, handling and protection of data. Data protection is also the responsibility of the federal and state data protection authorities. The agency also monitors the reliability of providers of digital signatures and whether online services adhere to European guidelines for hate and false reports. Art is an important area, among other things, in the Federal Ministry of Research, but also in the Ministry of Economic Affairs, which promotes innovations and start-ups in the AI ​​area. Digitization in the healthcare system (keyword electronic patient files), the Ministry of Education Digitization in Education (keyword digital pact school) or the Federal Ministry of Labor The topic of digitization on the world of work. A lot is also in the hands of countries and municipalities that are responsible for a number of administrative services themselves.

It is just a selection of overlaps and scattered responsibilities. The much -cited “bundle” of digital policy, as it was also announced in the Union election program with the formation of a digital ministry, is likely to be a challenge.

Bitkom President Wintergerst is nevertheless convinced: “A well-made Digital Ministry would have an impact on the everyday life of people and the companies.” From other countries, it is known that the digitization of the state and administration works well when it is regulated centrally from a single source.

Germany lags behind digitization goals

Germany lags behind its goals significantly. It was originally planned that all administrative services will also be offered online by the end of 2022, i.e. the passage to the office is eliminated. This has not been achieved to this day.

“With the creation of an independent Ministry of Digital, we will have a strong voice for digital interests at the future cabinet table,” said Johannes Schätzl, deputy digital policy spokesman SPD parliamentary group of the dpa. “I advocate the bundling of the topics of digital infrastructure and digital administration as a central elements of digital services and for strengthening our competitiveness in the digital department,” he added.

Bavaria and Hesse pioneer at the country level

So far, Bavaria and Hesse have digital ministries at the state level. According to an overview of the Federal Ministry of the Interior, both have progressed in the area of ​​digital administration in the country comparison than most others.

Bavaria’s Digital Minister Fabian Mehring (Free Voters) said in a plea in a plea for a Federal Ministry of the Federal Ministry at the beginning of March that a central institution is needed that drives Germany’s departure into the digital age powerfully. “Digitization is too important to continue to be responsible for the Minister of Transport during his lunch break.”

Hesse’s Digital Minister Kristina Sinemus (CDU), about which some media had recently speculated as possible Federal Minister of the Federal Minister, wrote in a contribution on the LinkedIn platform: “Digital Ministry in the Confederation.

Dashboard digital administration