At its fifth conference held in Hamburg, the digital ministers from the various German states adopted central decisions aimed at achieving simpler digital administration. According to the Brandenburg Digital Ministry, the conference primary focused on implementing the Federal Modernization Agenda, streamlining business formations, and developing high-performing digital infrastructures. The meeting also addressed the practical application of data protection regulations.
Benjamin Grimm, the Digital Minister for Brandenburg, emphasized that digital governance must simplify people’s daily lives by requiring less paperwork and facilitating faster decision-making processes. A central element of the initiative is the phased introduction of the “Digital Only” standard under the Federal Modernization Agenda, though explicit measures must be taken to prevent exclusion for citizens with limited digital proficiency. Furthermore, efforts are underway to simplify starting a company-a concept branded as “Starting a Business in 24 Hours”-by consolidating all application processes digitally.
The states also expressed a consensus on achieving greater legal certainty and clarity within data privacy practices, without compromising the protection of personal data. To support the digital economy, the aim is to strengthen Germany’s position as a location for sophisticated and sovereign data centers, thereby promoting digital value creation and modern cloud infrastructures. Finally, the ministers agreed to accelerate planning and approval procedures while committing to the continued expansion of both fiber-optic and mobile networks.
