Germany's federal and state governments reached agreement in Berlin on Thursday on a comprehensive programme to modernise the state. As a standard, correspondence with public authorities will in future be able to be conducted electronically rather than through forms bearing handwritten signatures. Application and registration procedures are also set to become simpler across the board.
The "Föderale Modernisierungsagenda", Federal Modernisation Agenda, was adopted at the Conference of Minister-Presidents of the federal states together with Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) in Berlin. According to the federal government, it contains more than 200 concrete measures for faster procedures, digitalisation and the reduction of bureaucracy, to be implemented at federal or state level within defined deadlines. The parties had already agreed on these goals in principle in 2023.
The written form requirement that has until now been widely demanded in dealings with authorities is to be largely replaced by a simple electronic document sent by email. Authorities will then also be able to respond by email. Printing, signing and sending by post will therefore no longer be necessary in most cases.
The government has already taken steps to ensure that child benefit no longer needs to be applied for separately in an increasing number of cases, and will instead be paid automatically by the relevant authority. The approval of parental allowance is also set to be simplified through data exchange between public bodies.
Identity cards and passports will be able to be applied for digitally without appointments at official offices. Changes of address will as a rule also be registered electronically. The same will apply to the registration and deregistration of vehicles.
A Germany App is set to bring together digital services in one place. From 2027, a digital wallet will be made available to citizens on a voluntary basis. A "digital twin" of the identity card will be stored there, and in future further documents such as birth certificates, driving licences and other paperwork will follow. The vehicle registration document can already be carried electronically.
Further planned reforms concern the justice system and construction. Citizens will be able to assert certain payment claims before local courts in a digital court procedure. Communication with courts is also to become more digital. The same is intended to apply to planning applications and business registrations. In many cases, permits are to be deemed granted if the responsible authority has not decided on them within a specified period.
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