E-government in Germany: Many opportunities for improvement

SAGA: Standards and Architectures for eGovernment Applications Modern e-government calls for interoperable information and communication systems which (ideally) interact smoothly. Simple and clear-cut standards and specifications help to achieve interoperability of information and communication systems. SAGA identifies the necessary standards, formats and specifications, it sets forth conformity rules and updates these in line with technological progress. The aim is to achieve more interoperability, scalability, reusability, platform independence and thus to reduce costs and risks by use of these applications. These documents are intended to cover all relevant aspects of eGovernment and the applications used therein.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier

Germany as a member of the European Union As a member of the European Union (EU), the Federal Republic of Germany is increasingly being required to implement cross-border eGovernment services like those demanded in the EU services directive. The goal is to create a uniform, single market in the EU and to offer all citizens and businesses the same opportunities and rights. As shown in Fig., national services have to be offered more to citizens, business and public agencies of other member states. Cooperation with the EU administration is also to become more important in the future. Click here for further information

Services and full digitization of central services for citizens * Not available as a fully digitized nationwide unified e- government service. Not available as a fully digitized e-government service. Available as a fully digitized public service.

Barriers that prevent more intensive use of online services in Germany Answers to the question: In your opinion, which of the following factors are key barriers that prevent people from using government services on the Internet?

The quality level of the services of e-government in Germany compared with other countries The United Nations e-Government Development Index measures the state of development of e-government services provided by all Member States, based on a four-step measurement. Germany lags far behind other industrialized countries. The percentages show the overall result of the respective country. chart address

E-government in Germany: many opportunities for improvement New and better services through e-government. E-government (e- government) means the use of information and communication technologies based on electronic media to manage public and administrative processes. In e-government, public services and administrative issues are digitized and made available on the Internet.

E-government allows you to compensate for infrastructure deficiencies in peripheral, structurally weak regions, since information and services can be used anywhere. This is especially useful for people with limited mobility. The integrated use of e-government creates strong demand for IT solutions and can therefore be used as a driving force for innovation in the IT and Internet industry. According to current estimates of the Institute of Open Communication Systems. Fraunhofer, the creation of an effective e-government system in Germany will require about 1.7 billion Euros for development and five subsequent years of operation.

E-government services in Germany are fragmented The UN e-Government Development Index (UN) analyzes the state of development of e-government services provided by all UN member states, based on a four-step measurement. The first and second stages include unidirectional forms of interaction, such as the provision of information by the authorities or links to the websites of other institutions (stage 1), and one-way electronic communication, for example, with downloadable documents (stage 2). The services provided in step 3 allow for two-way communication and interaction, for example, filing applications and issuing licenses and certificates. Countries at stage 3 and above meet the requirements of full digitization, that is, the transaction can be performed without changing the media. Phase 4 services are defined as fully interconnected services ensuring the smooth exchange of information, knowledge and data between authorities, citizens or enterprises.

E-government services are not very user friendly. E-government services for citizens in Germany are fragmented and largely not fully digitized. This is compounded by the fact that existing services are not user friendly. In addition to full digitization, the e- government service needs to widely publish accessible online services. To be user friendly, it must also be clearly structured, easy to use, and transparent. Ideally, electronic information and services are combined and offered in one place: in the general store.

Low ease of use explains low usage. Due to the fragmented spectrum of e-government services and their lack of ease of use, e-government is used less frequently in Germany than in other countries. International benchmarking clearly shows that the use of online services correlates with the volume of services offered, the degree of digitization and user friendliness. This suggests that online services will be used to a greater extent in Germany if the quantity and quality of the services offered is improved, primarily through the creation of a central e-government portal offering clearly structured and fully digitized services.