Ref. Ares(2022)5458629 - 29/07/2022
Ref. Ares(2022)5697627 - 11/08/2022
Main points Bitkom meeting:
Bitkom has more than 2000 members, big tech, smaller companies and companies who need
to transform digitally. 1000 are SMEs and 500 are tech startups. It comprises local
subsidiaries of multinational companies (since recently Russian company Kaspersky is no
longer a member)
On Digital Sovereignty: Bitkom is participating for some time to the discussions. They argue
that working solutions are needed and that it is not viable to imagine having as industrial
partners only companies from one nationality. There are intense discussion on e-government
in this connection. Interested in the Commission approach to sovereignty.
On government and eID: a suggestion made in Germany for non-digitally savvy users could
be to transform current employees into “digital street workers”, helping users with digital
difficulties.
On single market: there are still too many obstacles, Commission guidance on market
surveillance would be welcome.
On Standardisation: it is extremely important but not politically visible enough. SMEs lack
resources to participate in the discussions. National funds for SME participation exist, but are
not well-known.
On Data act: Concerns about trade secrets, the concept of the data holder, compensation
and B2G data-sharing requirements (fear of government overreach)
DE government is preparing a digital strategy for Germany to be presented around end of
august, along 3 axes: data/gigabit (connectivity), standardisation, digital identity