"Bureaucratic burden is alarming"

According to a recent ZDH survey, bureaucracy is the biggest burden for more than three-quarters of craft businesses. The association calls for "urgently needed relief for craft businesses."

This article is part of the special feature on bureaucratic madness in the skilled trades.

According to the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (ZDH), the bureaucratic burden has reached a level that is pushing craft businesses to their limits . Too often, the corresponding obligations involve considerable time and financial expenditure.

Where is there potential for relief?

To gain insights into the current burden situation , the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts (ZDH), together with the 53 Chambers of Skilled Crafts, conducted a survey on bureaucratic burdens in the skilled trades sector in the spring . The survey asked craft businesses about their assessment of the reasons for the increase in bureaucratic workload and where potential relief measures lie. 10.630 businesses participated in the survey.

Key findings of the survey:

• For 74 percent of the participating craft businesses, the bureaucratic burden has increased over the last five years.
• Constant adjustments to new legal regulations are the greatest burden for 76 percent of craft businesses, followed by the effort required to fulfill proof and documentation obligations (54 percent).
• Fifty-eight percent of businesses report that self-employment in the skilled trades is becoming increasingly unattractive due to the bureaucratic burden. Sixty-eight percent of skilled trades businesses that communicate digitally with authorities perceive the digital exchange as a relief.
• However, 35 percent of companies do not communicate with authorities digitally. The main reason: the authorities' lack of digital communication channels.

Survey Results Here you will find all the results of the ZDH survey . "The results of the ZDH survey are a clear cry for help to legislators," emphasizes ZDH Secretary General Holger Schwannecke . "The sheer volume of documentation, verification, and information requirements is effectively stifling the economic development of craft businesses in already difficult times. Given this escalating situation , it is no wonder that many young people are hesitant to take the step into self-employment precisely because of the immense bureaucracy ."

Act quickly and decisively

Politicians must recognize that things cannot continue as they are. "The announced law to reduce bureaucracy is important, but it can only be one of many building blocks needed to actually achieve the urgently required relief for craft businesses in practice. A broad approach is required that consistently reduces existing burdens, systematically avoids new bureaucracy, and includes efficient and digital local administration." The federal government must act quickly and decisively so that bureaucracy does not act as a brake on transformation.

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Source: ZDH

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