Germany advances digital public services and tax automation

Germany is seeing significant progress in the digitalization of public administration and tax services. In Berlin, 52 of the 100 most frequently used citizen services are now available digitally, an increase from only 30 in 2024. While some services like WBS applications see 61% digital usage, others, such as apartment registration, remain low at 7.8%. Efforts continue to improve user-friendliness and reduce the need for paper through the implementation of electronic files.

In the realm of taxation, the new digital ELSTER service has been utilized by 11.5 million people since July 1, 2026, to submit automated tax returns. Through the ‘Amsel’ pilot project, the service is being rolled out across Hessen, Thüringen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and Schleswig-Holstein. The ‘MeinELSTER+’ app provides pre-filled declarations for specific groups, including single employees without children and pensioners, aiming to reduce manual data entry and streamline the submission process.