IT industry demands:

Government should double digital investments

According to the proposal, the counter-financing of administrative digitization could be achieved through a massive reduction in broadband funding.

(Bild: © Gundolf Renze/stock.adobe.com)

The telecoms and IT industry wants the future government to double digital investments in public administration from the current 500 million to one billion euros annually. The industry association "Digitaloffensive Österreich" warns that if investment is not increased, there is a risk that state services will be cut.

"One billion euros instead of the current 500 million euros per year investment in the digitalization of public administration is sensible and necessary in order to secure Austria's modern high-performance state for the coming years and at the same time make it more cost-efficient," said Siemens Austria CEO Patricia Neumann in a press release on Friday.

45 percent of federal civil servants, i.e. around 60,000 people, would retire by 2035 and their manpower and expertise could not be fully replaced, warned the President of the "Digital Offensive Austria".

Counter-financing through "suitable framework conditions"
The counter-financing of administrative digitization could be achieved through a massive reduction in broadband subsidies - "the large telecommunications companies will also manage the expansion through private investment, given suitable framework conditions," said A1 CEO Thomas Arnoldner.

A1, Magenta and Drei expect to invest ten billion euros in further network expansion by 2030 and do not want any additional broadband subsidies for this - instead, the money should flow into the digitization billion. Instead, they want legal certainty for tariffs such as the flat-rate service fee, which was approved by the regulatory authority years ago.

"Instead of watering can funding for broadband expansion, the future government should invest in the urgently needed digital transformation of the administration," says Drei CEO Rudolf Schrefl.

13-fold benefit
A digitization billion would be a profitable investment, according to Michael Zettel, Head of Austria at technology and consulting services provider Accenture. According to Accenture's calculations, it would bring 13-fold economic benefits, particularly in the areas of health and care as well as digital administration (digital office, service platform for companies).