Concerns are mounting within Germany’s Federal Employment Agency (BA) that vital administrative digitalization efforts are being needlessly stalled by excessive data protection anxieties. In a joint commentary published in the Handelsblatt, BA Director Andrea Nahles and BA CIO Stefan Latuski have issued a stark warning against using data privacy as a convenient impediment to modernization.
While acknowledging the paramount importance of data sovereignty and protection, Nahles and Latuski argue that these considerations must not be weaponized to obstruct genuine administrative reform. Their core message emphasizes the need to leverage technological advancements for the benefit of citizens, facilitating secure and legally sound data sharing across various government departments.
The push for digitalization extends beyond incremental improvements, demanding a comprehensive overhaul of the German administration. The current fragmented system, the authors contend, forces citizens to navigate a labyrinth of bureaucracy – a stark contrast to the ideal scenario where data flows seamlessly between government agencies. They advocate for implementing the “Once-Only” principle, where citizens submit data to the state just once, trusting that relevant authorities can then securely and legitimately reuse it for various purposes.
A crucial component of this vision hinges on leveraging existing infrastructure, including the German tax identification number, to enable cross-administrative data utilization. However, legal ambiguities and a cautious regulatory environment are creating significant obstacles to this process.
The call for a “digital shoulder-to-shoulder” approach comes at a critical juncture, as government commissions prepare for key legislative decisions. The risk, as Nahles and Latuski highlight, is that bureaucratic inertia and an unwillingness to challenge established norms will ultimately undermine the potential for transformative change and leave citizens bearing the burden of an antiquated system. The commentary serves as a direct appeal to policymakers to prioritize strategic reform and create a legal framework that fosters, rather than restricts, the safe and efficient digitalization of German public services.