Germany’s Public Servants’ Union Calls for National Digital Agency
The German Public Servants’ Union (DBB) is urging the establishment of a national digital agency, responsible for the operational implementation of digital large-scale projects and the development of a digital infrastructure. The new head of the union, Volker Geyer, told the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung that this could be achieved without creating a new organization, by building on existing structures.
Geyer criticized the current state of digitalization in Germany, citing the “zuständigkeitswirrwarr” or the lack of clear responsibilities. He believes that the federal system, while having many positive aspects, is not always beneficial in the context of digitalization. The establishment of a national digital agency is one of the proposals of the “Initiative for a capable state” which includes Thomas de Maizière and Peer Steinbrück among its members. Although the idea is not explicitly mentioned in the coalition agreement between the Union and the SPD, the document does state that the proposals of the initiative will be taken into account.