700 submissions to the Hessian bureaucracy reporter: What should change?

700 submissions to the Hessian bureaucracy reporter: What should change?

The Hessian administration is under pressure and citizens have the opportunity to make this matter heard. The Hessian bureaucracy reporter has been online since July 2024, and the response is impressive: around 700 entries were received by the end of March 2025. This feedback comes from a request from the FDP parliamentary group and shows how important it is to citizens to simplify administrative processes. The submissions concern not only the state level, but also local authorities as well as requirements at the EU and federal levels. Now it will be exciting to see what comes out of the suggestions!

The bureaucracy reporting portal enables citizens to specifically indicate where they are experiencing bureaucratic hurdles and where they would like to see simplification. State Minister Manfred Pentz emphasizes that the current bureaucracy in Hesse is no longer sustainable. Construction projects in particular – be it building schools or planning transport infrastructure – often take years. Processing personal concerns, such as applying for documents, is anything but smooth. That's why Pentz is calling on citizens to submit suggestions to improve these processes. “It is our goal to make the procedures simpler, more transparent and more citizen-friendly,” he explains. If you would like to take part, you can find information on the Bureaucracy Melder website or you can call 0611 – 32 11 3322.

Practical tests and implementations

The feedback so far is already being taken seriously: 122 inquiries are currently being examined in the specialist departments of the Hessian ministries. Some of the proposals submitted have already been implemented or are on their way to the legislative process. Two prominent examples are the abolition of the permit requirement for the infiltration of rainwater and the purification of the directive on grazing animal protection. Such concrete measures show that reducing bureaucracy is not just an empty phrase, but is already beginning to bear fruit.

The state government also plans to incorporate the identified submissions into the amendment to the Hessian building regulations. These developments are part of a broader modernization agenda to be developed by 2025. Digital administration in particular is being sought with the aim of making administrative services efficient and user-friendly. A central platform for citizens and companies should help simplify and carry out treatments more quickly in the future. Coalition plans, which also include the introduction of a mandatory citizen account and a digital identity, are already on the agenda.

More goals and challenges

The Hessian state government plans to focus more on reducing bureaucracy. The coalition agreement mentions that it is not possible to intervene in ongoing proceedings, and it is always emphasized that not every regulation should be thrown overboard - after all, many laws have a purpose. The challenge is to maintain sensible laws while at the same time reducing unnecessary bureaucracy. The aim is to increase efficiency in the federal administration. By 2025, the aim is to reduce bureaucratic costs by a quarter and speed up the approval process for infrastructure.

Citizens are also invited to provide the administration with their insights and experiences. “Every voice counts and can contribute to improving our authorities,” emphasizes Pentz. The Hessian bureaucracy reporter shows that citizens' initiatives can certainly initiate noticeable changes - here the commitment of the population has the potential to sustainably reform the entire bureaucratic apparatus in Hesse. You can find more information about this on the n-tv website or at [KPMG Law].