Germany's First Ministry Without Fax Machines
The newly established Federal Ministry for Digital and Administrative Modernization aims to pioneer digital governance without traditional tools.
Karsten Wildberger, the new Federal Minister for Digital and Administrative Modernization, is at the helm of Germany's first ministry dedicated entirely to digital issues.
The ministry, which is currently undergoing a foundational phase, seeks to modernize the bureaucratic processes of the German state, but has yet to establish a formal budget.
Notably, Wildberger has affirmed that his ministry will not utilize fax machines, a decision symbolizing a break from outdated practices often criticized during the COVID-19 pandemic for hampering communication.
Wildberger, previously the CEO of the electronics retail chain MediaMarktSaturn, aims to position the ministry as a 'start-up,' reflecting a contemporary approach to governance.
His commitment to eliminating fax machines fits into a broader narrative about enhancing digital capabilities within German administration.
Critics have long pointed to the reliance on fax machines as indicative of a lagging digital transformation, with calls from political leaders like SPD Chair Lars Klingbeil for their removal from state operations.
The ministry plans to advance projects such as the recently launched 'German Administrative Cloud' and the 'EUDI Wallet,' a digital identity app for citizens, in alignment with European Union initiatives regarding digital identities.
Wildberger's responsibilities include overseeing improvements to mobile communication networks and broadband infrastructure, addressing the issue of 'white spots' where internet access is limited.
His jurisdiction also encompasses authorities such as the Federal Office for Information Security and the Federal Network Agency.
This new establishment is complex due to the amalgamation of functions spread across five existing ministries and the Federal Chancellery.
Unlike the simpler establishment of the Ministry for Building and Housing, which inherited staff and functions from the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the Digital Ministry's setup is more intricate, marked by the need to unify disparate responsibilities.
The bulk of the staff currently comes from the Interior Ministry and the former Ministry for Digital and Transportation, although there are plans for newly created divisions focused on administrative modernization.
Interest in joining the ministry has reportedly been high, with over 500 unsolicited applications received shortly after its announcement.
Despite the progress, the ministry has yet to acquire a dedicated building or its own budget.
The current administration operates under a provisional financial regulation due to the inability to finalize a budget for 2025. For now, most staff remain technically employed by their original ministries but are assigned to work under Wildberger.
The development of this new ministry is marked by the involvement of key figures such as State Secretary Markus Richter, who joins from the Interior Ministry, and is responsible for information technology governance.
They currently occupy office space within the Interior Ministry premises in Berlin.
Despite the establishment of the ministry and its ambitious goals, operational challenges have emerged, such as in a recent incident with EU Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva, who faced difficulties coordinating a meeting with Wildberger due to a lack of contact information from the ministry.
The ministry, which is currently undergoing a foundational phase, seeks to modernize the bureaucratic processes of the German state, but has yet to establish a formal budget.
Notably, Wildberger has affirmed that his ministry will not utilize fax machines, a decision symbolizing a break from outdated practices often criticized during the COVID-19 pandemic for hampering communication.
Wildberger, previously the CEO of the electronics retail chain MediaMarktSaturn, aims to position the ministry as a 'start-up,' reflecting a contemporary approach to governance.
His commitment to eliminating fax machines fits into a broader narrative about enhancing digital capabilities within German administration.
Critics have long pointed to the reliance on fax machines as indicative of a lagging digital transformation, with calls from political leaders like SPD Chair Lars Klingbeil for their removal from state operations.
The ministry plans to advance projects such as the recently launched 'German Administrative Cloud' and the 'EUDI Wallet,' a digital identity app for citizens, in alignment with European Union initiatives regarding digital identities.
Wildberger's responsibilities include overseeing improvements to mobile communication networks and broadband infrastructure, addressing the issue of 'white spots' where internet access is limited.
His jurisdiction also encompasses authorities such as the Federal Office for Information Security and the Federal Network Agency.
This new establishment is complex due to the amalgamation of functions spread across five existing ministries and the Federal Chancellery.
Unlike the simpler establishment of the Ministry for Building and Housing, which inherited staff and functions from the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the Digital Ministry's setup is more intricate, marked by the need to unify disparate responsibilities.
The bulk of the staff currently comes from the Interior Ministry and the former Ministry for Digital and Transportation, although there are plans for newly created divisions focused on administrative modernization.
Interest in joining the ministry has reportedly been high, with over 500 unsolicited applications received shortly after its announcement.
Despite the progress, the ministry has yet to acquire a dedicated building or its own budget.
The current administration operates under a provisional financial regulation due to the inability to finalize a budget for 2025. For now, most staff remain technically employed by their original ministries but are assigned to work under Wildberger.
The development of this new ministry is marked by the involvement of key figures such as State Secretary Markus Richter, who joins from the Interior Ministry, and is responsible for information technology governance.
They currently occupy office space within the Interior Ministry premises in Berlin.
Despite the establishment of the ministry and its ambitious goals, operational challenges have emerged, such as in a recent incident with EU Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva, who faced difficulties coordinating a meeting with Wildberger due to a lack of contact information from the ministry.
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