Reducing bureaucracy: Much still to be done

DIHK President Eric Schweizer describes the current draft of the Bureaucracy Relief Act III as "a start to urgently needed relief." However, in his view, much remains to be done.

This article is part of the special topic Bureaucratic madness in the craft industry

With his now presented Concept for a Bureaucracy Reduction Act III (BEG III), the Federal Ministry of Economics is taking "necessary steps towards simplifying administrative procedures." This is the view of the German Association of Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK). DIHK President Eric Schweitzer assesses the draft "as a Entry into an urgently needed Entlastung". Companies' impatience is "particularly high when it comes to bureaucracy, as we know from our surveys," he emphasizes. "If the proposals become law, they will come at the right time."

Digitalization brings simplifications

In view of the difficult economic environment, the reduction on Bureaucracy "positive impulses". This included, in particular, the approaches to focus more on Digitalization to set. With the electronic certificate of incapacity for work and the Facilitating the archiving of electronic tax documents According to the DIHK President, "necessary steps are being taken towards simplifying administrative procedures."

Shorten retention periods for documents

The actual extent of the relief for companies will have to be shown by the concrete design. "Either way, unfortunately, still take some timeuntil these and some other measures of the package the still very high bureaucratic effort of the companies reduce Schweitzer fears. After all, in many cases, administrations still need to be enabled to implement electronic procedures across the board. "This applies particularly to tax procedures," the DIHK President points out. "Therefore, it would be great and consequent, if the Retention periods also shortened for paper documents would."

This could, in particular, ease the burden on small and medium-sized businesses. "There's still a lot to do," warns Schweitzer. "We at the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) are happy to put forward further proposals for a Bureaucracy Reduction Act IV."