Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Interior is organising a three-month, online public review of a new manual for municipal eGovernment services. From 22 September until 30 November, a website will allow readers to comment on the document.
The document, titled “Wie kommunales E-Government dennoch gelingt – Ein Kochbuch für Praktiker” (How municipal eGovernment will nevertheless succeed - a practitioner’s cookbook), is available online.
In the introduction, the authors state that Germany has little to no municipal eGovernment services, quoting a 2015 Fraunhofer Fokus study. They also note that in regions with ageing and declining populations, and with financially squeezed local administrations, the supply of government services are at risk. Here eGovernment solutions can help public administrations to maintain service and supply levels.
Over the past two years, the manual has been tested in eight pilot municipalities: the towns of Gütersloh, Düren, Norderstedt and Halle, the districts of Cochem-Zell, Heidekreis and Ortenaukreis and the eGovernment model community Ibbenbüren. “The result is a guide that, similar to a cookbook, sequentially explains what needs to be done to digitise administrative tasks”, according to an introduction on the public review website.
“eGovernment is a complex topic and a fast moving target”, the site states. By organising a broad discussion with practitioners, the ministry hopes to gather experience, additional tips and the latest insights.