Germany is making progress in digitalization – but other EU countries are even faster. In the new Bitkom DESI Index 2026, the Federal Republic ranks 17th among the 27 EU member states with 51.1 points, thus falling back three places compared to the previous year, when Germany was still in 14th place with 50.1 points. At the top of the ranking is Denmark with 76.4 points, followed by Finland with 72.9 and the Netherlands with 72.7 points.

Germany performs comparatively better among the five largest EU countries, ranking 2nd here behind Spain and ahead of France, Poland, and Italy. Strengths lie in digital skills, where Germany climbs to 11th place and gains four places, as well as in infrastructure and corporate digitalization, which are also in the upper midfield at 11th place. The biggest weakness is shown in the digitalization of public administration: here Germany ranks only 22nd out of 27 and is in 3rd place among the five largest EU countries.

The index paints a familiar picture: Germany is catching up in individual areas but is being overtaken by countries that are digitalizing more consistently and faster – especially small, agile markets like Denmark, Finland, or Malta. Administration in particular slows down digital processes with bureaucracy, which in turn hinders the use of digital services by citizens and companies. Although the absolute score is increasing slightly, the relative gap to the frontrunners is growing.

Even if public administration is lagging, further acceleration is worthwhile for companies – not least because competitive pressure is increasing in the EU comparison. Companies should consistently expand digital customer processes, for example through online onboarding, electronic signatures, digital invoicing, and self-service portals, in order to reduce friction losses and align with the EU trend. The progress in digital skills at 11th place is positive, but there is still room for improvement; targeted further training in data literacy, basic understanding of AI, and automation pays off directly in productivity. Modern Unified Communications and Collaboration solutions, cloud infrastructures, and AI-supported workflows correspond to what leading EU markets are already widely using. Where interfaces with authorities are necessary – for example, for reporting, subsidy applications, or customs – processes should be designed to remain efficient even with slow digital administration.

The Bitkom DESI Index 2026 is not a final judgment, but a wake-up call: Germany is moving, but too slowly in comparison. Companies that wait until the administration is "fully digitalized" will lose ground in the EU competition.