VDA President Hildegard Müller on the Bureaucracy Relief Act

"Bureaucracy is one of the biggest burdens, especially for medium-sized businesses during transformation. With the fourth Bureaucracy Relief Act, the Federal Government is taking an important first step towards concrete reductions in bureaucracy: less 'paper management' is a right signal, as is the elimination of reporting obligations under the Measurement and Calibration Act. At the same time, however, the government is falling far short of expectations, particularly when it comes to reducing reporting and information obligations. This is particularly disappointing for medium-sized companies. There is no doubt that companies are at their absolute limits, the lack of digitalization in administration complicates and slows down processes even more, and the potential for greater efficiency cannot be exploited.

One thing is certain: This can only be the beginning of an intensive process in which the federal government is making reducing bureaucracy a priority. We are happy to provide constructive support with suggestions and ideas. As part of the Bundestag consultation, the opportunity for necessary improvements and expansions should definitely be leveraged. In principle, it also applies that reducing red tape is only effective if new, complex requirements, reporting, verification and documentation obligations are avoided."