Enhanced Competitiveness and Economic Momentum

Reducing bureaucracy is one of the central concerns of businesses in Germany. Numerous reporting obligations, complex authorisation procedures, and often inconsistent administrative practices hinder investments, bind specialists to unnecessary processes, and reduce innovation capacity. For the economy, it is clear: Less bureaucracy means more time for value creation and is therefore a key component for a competitive German business environment.

Major Sources of Strain for Companies

Where Reforms Need to Begin

Significantly reducing bureaucratic efforts requires a long-term, practical strategy. From the economy's point of view, four main principles are crucial:

• Simpler, clearer, and digitally oriented laws
  Regulations should be designed from the outset to be easy to implement in practice and capable of being processed digitally.
• Fast and efficient authorisations
  More standardisation, digital procedures, clearer deadlines, and binding decisions can make processes more predictable.
• Strengthened trust between the state and the economy
  Many obligations arise from a "culture of mistrust." Where possible, proof obligations should be replaced with random and risk-oriented controls.
• Enhanced federal cooperation
  Unified digital portals, coordinated process standards, and better cooperation between federal, state, and local governments can significantly simplify procedures.

Bureaucracy Reduction as a Joint Effort

Bureaucracy cannot be eliminated overnight. It develops over decades and can only be reduced through joint efforts by politics, administration, the economy, and civil society. Crucially, reforms must not only be announced but also consistently implemented. This includes regularly questioning existing regulations and introducing new requirements only when their benefits are clearly proven.

For companies, it is evident: A modern state requires a modern administration—digital, efficient, and service-oriented.