The implementation of the German government's digital policy projects picked up speed significantly in the first quarter of 2024. With a total of 31 successfully implemented projects, the government achieved a pace that was previously unrivalled in this legislative period. The number of outstanding projects fell by 10 to 38, while 205 projects are currently in the implementation phase. This data is taken from the latest analysis of Bitkom's "Digital Policy Monitor", which is updated on a quarterly basis. Despite this positive development, however, the implementation rate could continue to fall.
Not all projects are currently being implemented
According to the Monitor, the German government could only implement 82% of its plans by the end of the legislative period if it continues to push ahead with its digital projects at the pace presented in the first quarter of 2024. If it continues at the average speed of the previous legislative period, only 60% of digital policy projects would be completed by September 2025. In order to complete all 334 projects before the next federal elections, a total of 243 projects would have to be implemented in 18 months.
"The German government has started the digital year 2024 with momentum. The federal government should now use this momentum to tackle the particularly complex and central projects," says Bitkom President Dr Ralf Wintergerst.
For example, little progress has been made on digital identities, the digitalisation of administration or the digital budget. As the "Digital Policy Monitor" shows, many of the projects implemented in the past quarter are smaller measures or ongoing research and funding programmes. Significant digital projects implemented in the last quarter include two projects by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach in particular: the Digital Act and the Health Data Utilisation Act. There is also the 'mein NOW' continuing education portal from the Federal Ministry of Labour and the strategy for international digital policy from the Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport.
Implementation status of digital projects is regularly reviewed
For the "Digital Policy Monitor", Bitkom regularly reviews the implementation status of 146 projects from the digital strategy, 186 digital policy projects from the coalition agreement and two other digital policy projects that the federal government has subsequently launched. These 334 digital projects in total are examined in terms of their significance for the digitalisation of the economy, society and the state and classified in terms of their complexity.
Further information is available at www.monitor-digitalpolitik.de.
