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Germany allocates €108 million for developing and migrating to open source CMS

Germany invests in TYPO3 CMS

Published on: 07/09/2023 Last update: 02/10/2023 News

A woman using a computer
Earlier this year, OSOR reported the German Government's intention to transition its official content management system, the Government Site Builder (GSB), to a TYPO3-based system. The tender to make this plan a reality is now available on Germany's official procurement portal.

This investment is divided into three parts: €26,880,000 for product development and support; €73,200,000 for migration and relaunch; and €8,000,000 for operation thereafter. The services of the revamped CMS will be operated by ITZBund, Germany's central IT service provider for the federal administration. This will facilitate the gradual transition of existing e-governance services over a span of four years.

Currently, the GSB powers over 250 websites across 80 German federal institutions. The push to migrate GSB to TYPO3 stems from the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI)'s online service consolidation initiative. GSB 11, the first version to operate on TYPO3, is set to be published by the end of 2023, with a broader rollout in 2024.

The German government's choice of TYPO3 is grounded in its prevalent use within the federal administration, fast maintenance, its vibrant community, and its enduring support. During its 25-year history, it has gained a foothold, especially in German-speaking countries. According to the TYPO3 association, it has an estimated 500,000 installations.

As the recent OSOR country report describes, Germany has established a comprehensive open source policy at the federal level, emphasizing the importance of digital sovereignty. This move, motivated by a 2019 study on digital sovereignty, has initiated transformations in digital governance with measures such as OpenCoDE.de, a sovereign workplace, and improved online public service access. While coordination between state and federal authorities continues to develop, there is a growing commitment across Germany, including at the local level, to embrace open source solutions in public services.


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