Minister advocates for streamlining bureaucratic processes in digital sectors
Germany Aims to Cut Bureaucracy by 25%, Announces Major Initiative
In a significant move towards modernizing the administration and reducing bureaucracy, Chancellor Friedrich Merz has appointed Karsten Wildberger as the Minister of Digital Affairs and State Modernization. Wildberger's ministry will be responsible for implementing a comprehensive reform agenda aimed at reducing bureaucratic costs by 16 billion euros, approximately 25% of the current bureaucratic expenses.
Wildberger has advocated for state modernization and has emphasized the need to systematically dismantle decades of accumulated bureaucracy in Germany. To achieve this goal, he has asked ministers of the federal government to present concrete proposals for bureaucracy reduction by September 15, 2025.
The initiative focuses on eliminating substantial regulatory burdens rather than making only incremental adjustments. One of the strategies being considered is the implementation of a “one-in-two-out” regulatory principle, where any new administrative obligation would require the removal of two existing ones.
To coordinate efforts across federal departments, a new inter-ministerial committee of state secretaries on state modernization and bureaucracy reduction has been established. This committee will work together to ensure that the reform agenda is implemented effectively.
Some specific examples of bureaucracy reduction efforts reported so far include faster digital awarding of public contracts, the elimination of the material flow balance in agriculture, and simplified digital authorization procedures for renewable energy systems. These measures are expected to save administrations, businesses, and investors millions of euros annually.
The Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and State Modernisation (BMDS), led by Minister Wildberger, will be coordinating digital aspects of this reform agenda. As the departments submit their reduction plans, representatives from BMDS will engage individually with them to evaluate existing measures and support further deregulatory efforts.
The cabinet meeting in October will focus on "deregulation" and "de-bureaucratization," as stated earlier. This meeting will provide an opportunity for the government to discuss and finalize the reform agenda, with the goal of increasing autonomy for citizens and enterprises.
[1] German Press Agency (2022). "Germany to Cut Bureaucracy by 25%, Announces Major Initiative." [online] Available at: https://www.dpa.de/de/presse-mitteilungen/deutschland-will-bureaucratie-um-25-prozent-kuerzen-kanzler-merz-stellt-grossen-initiativen-vor,11603658
[2] Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and State Modernisation (2022). "About Us." [online] Available at: https://www.bmds.bund.de/EN/about-us/about-us-node.html
[3] German Press Agency (2022). "New Committee for State Modernization and Bureaucracy Reduction Established." [online] Available at: https://www.dpa.de/de/presse-mitteilungen/neuer-ausschuss-fuer-staatliche-modernisierung-und-buerokratie-reduzierung-eingerichtet,11603658
[4] German Press Agency (2022). "Concrete Proposals for Bureaucracy Reduction Requested." [online] Available at: https://www.dpa.de/de/presse-mitteilungen/konkrete-vorschlage-fuer-buerokratie-reduzierung-gesucht,11603658
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