Too many concerns

Digital Strategy of the Federal Government

Digitization still seems to be thought of primarily in terms of hardware. As in the past two decades, the German government is once again prioritizing issues that should have been dealt with long ago and, according to the EU Commission's latest report, largely are. Fiber optics and network expansion do support companies in civil engineering and the cable industry, but there is a lack of overarching concepts and sufficient funding for innovative offerings and creative applications.

For a country without significant other raw materials, for which data is the elementary core and raw material of the digital, a secure legal framework that practicably reconciles consumer protection interests and the requirements of the digital economy is of crucial importance in particular. "Competition in the digital economy is international. Success can only be expected through modern approaches based on collaboration," says BVDW Vice President Thomas Duhr.

"Solutions that could be created in Germany will become an expensive import. Without promoting data-based solutions and with a disproportionate emphasis on concerns instead of opportunities, it will hardly be possible for the federal government to achieve the goals of digitization."

Thomas Duhr, Vice President, BVDW