Use the bureaucracy reporter!

Every company can describe its bureaucratic burdens online using the bureaucracy reporter of the Chambers of Crafts in Frankfurt (Oder) and Potsdam.

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

Studies show that some craft businesses now have to spend over 30 percent of their working time on bureaucratic tasks . The necessary investments in personnel or specialized software further contribute to placing an excessive burden on craft businesses. The proliferation of documentation and reporting requirements also makes it more difficult to find successors or to establish new craft businesses.

Reducing bureaucracy in the skilled trades: Urgent action needed

Both the federal and state governments have adopted many of the skilled trades' demands for reducing bureaucracy in their coalition agreements. However, these plans have not yet been implemented. Therefore, the skilled trades must continue to maintain pressure on politicians regarding bureaucracy reduction . This requires the support of skilled trades businesses across the state. In the first quarter of this year, the Frankfurt (Oder) Chamber of Skilled Crafts was the first of the Brandenburg chambers of skilled crafts to introduce an online bureaucracy reporting tool ; the Potsdam Chamber of Skilled Crafts has since followed suit.

Frank Ecker , Managing Director of the Frankfurt (Oder) Chamber of Skilled Crafts , explains the goal of the bureaucracy reporting tool: "Our businesses and chambers have been concerned about the considerable burden of bureaucracy for some time now. A counter-trend needs to be initiated. During our numerous business consultations, we already ask our companies where the biggest problems lie regarding bureaucracy. With the online portal, businesses can provide concrete examples at any time and make suggestions on how bureaucracy could be reduced and eliminated. "

Craftsmen's portal against bureaucracy: Your experiences count

Businesses can describe their negative experiences anonymously or with a contact option for follow-up questions . Tradespeople can use the portal to specify the frequency of the problem, the time required, the costs incurred, the responsible authority, and possible solutions.

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Frank Ecker: "At the moment, the portal is still being used somewhat hesitantly. My appeal to tradespeople is therefore: Get involved. Because only if we provide many, and above all concrete, examples can we reflect this back to policymakers and then take action to remedy the situation. " Managing Director Frank Ecker describes the exchange with the new state government as "constructive and positive": "The previous state government had already initiated the special committee on reducing bureaucracy that we had requested. The new coalition established the committee in the state parliament, and it has already met four times. During these meetings, we have presented concrete points and demands, and we have the impression that policymakers have recognized that businesses must be effectively relieved of bureaucratic burdens."

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