Digital Germany 2015

Strategy for the digital future of Germany

© Fotolia/itestro

For Germany as a high-tech location, information and communication technologies (ICT) play a decisive role. They are the key to productivity in all industries. Measured by gross value added today, the ICT industry itself is ahead of mechanical engineering and motor-vehicle manufacturing. In employment terms, it was just behind mechanical engineering in 2009, accounting for 846,000 jobs. We need to better harness the large potential of ICT for growth and employment in Germany. Smart networking through modern ICT in traditional sectors, such as energy, transport, health, education, leisure, tourism and administration, affords new opportunities but also poses new challenges, especially in data protection. This is why the Federal Government has developed a new ICT strategy for the digital future of Germany. It sets the government ICT policy framework for ministries to plan and implement the necessary measures.

The ICT strategy, Digital Germany 2015, sets out the priorities, tasks and projects for the period up to 2015. It aims to do the following:

• Strengthen competitiveness through the use of ICT in all segments of the economic process
• Expand digital infrastructure and networks to meet future challenges
• Safeguard the protected and personal rights of users in the future Internet and in the use of new media
• Step up research and development in the ICT sector and speed up the translation of R&D findings into marketable products and services
• Strengthen basic, further and continuing education and training and competencies in handling new media
• Make consistent use of ICT to cope with social problems, including sustainability and climate protection,health, mobility, administration and the improvement of the quality of life of citizens

With the implementationof the ICT strategy, the Federal Government is seeking to contribute to promoting sustainable economic growth, help create new jobs and bring about social benefits. It is also aware of the social-policy significance of Internet and ICT, will continue to engage in dialogue on the prospects of German Internet policy and the appropriate role of government in the future organisation of the Internet and channel the outcomes into improving the regulatory policy framework.

The Federal Government's ICT strategy is aligned with the goals of the Digital Agenda for Europe and will further enhance Germany's international competitiveness as a business location. In implementation, it will take account of both activities at European level (including the EU Strategy for Key Enabling Technologies and the Innovation Union) and projects and developments at international level and in multinational organisations.

Modern and efficient federal government IT will lay the foundation for the effective organisation of Germany's digital future. Stringent joint IT use in the federal administration and for large-scale government projects is a benchmark for Germany as an IT location. The future development of federal IT will be steered by the interministerial Chief Information Officers Council together with the Federal IT Management Group chaired by the Federal Government Commissioner for Information Technology. Core tasks include framing architectures, standards and methods for IT and providing the necessary infrastructure.

With the entry into force of Section 91 (c) of the Basic Law in 2009 and the appointment of the IT Planning Council,the foundation and capacities were put in place for the efficient and purposive development of public-sector IT and federal e-government.

The ICT strategy, Digital Germany 2015, will be carried out in close interaction among policymakers, industry and scientists. The Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology is in charge of coordinating the implementation under the specific purviews of the various ministries. A major role here is played by the National IT Summit, which has already provided a key impetus and will continue to perform a function in future strategy implementation.