Governikus Summit highlights fields of action for administrative digitization

Bremen, March 3, 2025

After two exciting and informative days of conferences on administrative digitalization, the Governikus Summit closed its doors at the Wilhelm Studios in Berlin on 26 February 2025. Almost 450 experts and interested parties from administration, business, science and IT responded to the Bremen-based IT company's call to discuss and shape the future of German administrative digitalization together. "In the many discussions with our guests, small and large innovative ideas for the future emerged," said Governikus Managing Director Dr. Stephan Klein, summing up the event. "Incorporating the co-creation approach, which we have been using to develop our solutions together with customers and partners for 25 years, into the Summit concept was very well received by them," added Summit organizer and Governikus authorized signatory Petra Waldmüller-Schantz.

Important impetus for digital innovations in the digitization of administration

The Governikus Summit once again proved to be an important source of inspiration. In 32 sessions, a total of 75 panellists provided informative insights into various fields of administration, justice and healthcare. Partners and Governikus employees presented industry trends and innovations at the 21 stands of the accompanying exhibition. Discussions focused on the federal digital strategy of the IT Planning Council, the annual report of the National Regulatory Control Council and the modernization of registers. The topics of the EUDI wallet, eID and the digitalization of the justice system were also addressed.

Dr. Stephan Klein opened the conference, which was held to mark the company's 25th anniversary. Ina-Maria Ulbrich, Chairwoman of the IT Planning Council 2025, praised the event for its important impetus for innovation in the digitization of administration. At the same time, she put forward a thesis that was shared by many subsequent speakers: Digitalization alone does not establish a future-proof administration. Rather, there must be an understanding of digitalization throughout the entire administration, said Ulbrich. Anke Domscheit-Berg, publicist and digital policy spokesperson in the Bundestag | DIE LINKE, and Martin Schallbruch | CEO govdigital, later added that there is a lack of top leadership commitment. Chancellors and ministers must be called upon to ease the burden on local authorities and bring about effective change, said Schallbruch.

The second day began with a panel discussion on the critical assessment in the National Regulatory Control Council's 2024 annual report. Hannes Kühn from the NKR emphasized that laws must be designed digitally from the outset. The NKR's offer to support legislators in their work through the digital check is still being accepted too late, he said. Legislators are the most important target group, as they are responsible for drafting regulations, added Ernst Bürger, State Secretary at the Brandenburg Ministry of Justice and Digitalization. However, there is a positive trend. Tina Siegfried, Member of the Board of Initiative D21 | Dataport, supports the digital-only approach for the digitalization of administrative services. According to Siegfried, this can help to restore citizens' trust in the state.

Multifaceted program: from eID to Wallet to eJustice

In the main program, the status quo of many solutions and laws was put to the test. The eID panel made it clear that the EUDI wallet, which is currently under development, is benefiting from previous projects, such as the Digital Identities showcase project. However, a resounding success is only in sight if interesting use cases are created for citizens, according to Dr. Torsten Lodderstedt, Lead Architect of Germany's EU Digital Identity Wallet Project | SPRIND.

Dr Markus Reichel, Member of the German Bundestag, underlined the approach to greater user orientation and highlighted digital identities as the key to the digitalization of society. The biggest challenge here is to ensure that the issue of digital identities is well managed, with the EUDI wallet playing an imminent role. He concluded that it is essential that digital evidence is introduced.

The eJustice talk was a different story: Daniela Freiheit, independent IT consultant and coordinator of the BLK-AG IT standards in the justice system, advised patience. "Hang in there for the last three minutes," was Freiheit's wish for the new federal government when it comes to the digitalization of the justice system. She emphasized the benefits already achieved and the good path the country is on. "Electronic legal transactions form the backbone of the justice system," said Mario Hilzinger, Chair of the BLK IT Standards Working Group. He added that the possibility of secure and simple judicial communication already exists for almost every group of people.

In a survey conducted locally with participants on the occasion of the new elections, three wishes for the federal government also emerged:

  1. Stable government that supports us in digitalization
  2. The Germany app: access to all administrative services for citizens
  3. Pragmatism

Accompanying exhibition impresses with high-quality solutions for administrative digitization

During the two-day conference, interested parties were able to find out about and exchange information on the latest solutions in various application areas of administrative digitization. On site

  • of Bank-Verlag GmbH,
  • brain-SCC GmbH,
  • bol Behörden Online Systemhaus GmbH,
  • buergerservice.org e.V.,
  • Bundesdruckerei Group,
  • Ceyoniq Technology GmbH,
  • DATABUND e.V.,
  • Dataport AöR,
  • d.velop AG,
  • European IT Consultancy EITCO GmbH,
  • govdigital eG,
  • MACH ProForms GmbH,
  • Mein Unternehmenskonto,
  • PDV GmbH, PolisiN - Politicians: secure online,
  • secunet Security Networks AG and
  • Governikus employees presented their solutions at four stands.
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