eco Association: Sensible Regulation and an Innovation-Friendly Framework Are Key to Germany’s Digital Capacity to Act

• SMEs show a high level of readiness for AI: 65 per cent of German SMEs view AI development within their own companies positively
• eco calls for better framework conditions for digital innovation: high-performance digital infrastructure, digital public administration and less bureaucracy
• Federal Minister for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation Wildberger: "Tomorrow can be better than today. We must work towards this - through innovation, digital sovereignty and the ability to keep pace with international competition."​

Germany's capacity for digital action is not determined solely by the rules governing new technologies. Equally important is whether companies and the state are able to deploy digital technologies quickly, securely and cost-effectively. For the tenth time, eco - Association of the Internet Industry discussed with representatives from politics and industry at the Internet Policy Forum in Berlin what conditions Germany needs to create by 2030 to achieve this.

From the eco Association's perspective, this requires clear and reliable rules as well as an innovation-friendly framework. Regulation should provide guidance and legal certainty while also leaving scope for technological development and investment. It is therefore crucial to strike the right balance and ensure coherence between European and national requirements, while setting the right course for a high-performing digital economy.

"For us, digital capacity to act means that digital technologies are not only regulated, but also put into practice quickly and securely," said Oliver Süme, Chair of the Board of eco - Association of the Internet Industry. "To achieve this, we need high-performance digital infrastructures, a modern digital public administration and favourable conditions for investment and innovation. Regulation must provide guidance and legal certainty, but must not become an obstacle to digital transformation."

New technologies such as artificial intelligence show just how important this interplay is. Particularly when implementing European requirements, greater care should therefore be taken to avoid unnecessary overlapping regulation and additional bureaucratic burdens.

Dr Karsten Wildberger, Federal Minister for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation, outlined how Germany can accelerate its digitalisation efforts:

"Digital technologies are transforming the way we live, do business and organise our state. What matters, therefore, is whether we can translate this transformation into progress for our country - with a faster, more digital state, sovereign infrastructure and the ability to be at the forefront of AI and future technologies.

The dynamism of our startup scene shows that we have good foundations for this: more than 3,000 startups were founded in the first half of 2026. What matters now is that these develop into companies that can grow here and succeed internationally. To achieve this, we must strengthen digital sovereignty, reduce dependencies and develop our own strengths.

This requires high-performance networks, data centres and AI infrastructure - and regulation that enables innovation. If you imagine the development of humankind as a book, little happens on the first few pages, but the last few pages are full of technological upheavals. And right at the bottom of the final page today is a single word: AI.

We must not leave this final page to others. We must help shape it ourselves so that Germany and Europe can hold their own in international competition. The promise we should make to ourselves must be: tomorrow can be better than today. We must work towards this - and write the final page of this book together."

A recent YouGov study commissioned by IONOS shows that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular are ready to make greater use of AI: 65 per cent of the German SMEs surveyed view the development of AI within their companies positively. Only 8 per cent feel overwhelmed by this development. At the same time, companies have clear requirements for the solutions they use: 55 per cent cite reliable results as the most important selection criterion, while 43 per cent cite compliance with legal requirements.

"SMEs are ready to seize the opportunities offered by new technologies. What matters now is that the political framework keeps pace with this readiness," said Dr Markus Noga, Chief Technology Officer at IONOS. "AI can help companies work more efficiently, ease the burden on skilled workers and develop new business models. To do so, they need access to high-performance technology and a framework that enables innovation."

Federal Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection Stefanie Hubig also emphasised the importance of a reliable regulatory framework for the digital space:

"I'm a fan of AI - and I believe it can make a difference in everyday life if we manage it properly. But the law must keep pace with technological developments. Particularly when it comes to deepfakes and digital violence, people must not feel defenceless. We want clear rules, better access to information and effective tools so that those affected can defend themselves. Digitalisation therefore does not require less law, but law that is fit for the times."

Digital sovereignty: Strengthening Europe's own digital capabilities while leveraging global value chains

For the eco Association, digital capacity to act also involves the question of how Germany and Europe can reduce technological dependencies without cutting themselves off from international markets and technologies. For eco, digital sovereignty means above all the ability to act and freedom of choice. Germany and Europe should strengthen their own capabilities in cloud computing, data centres, data infrastructures and AI without restricting access to international markets and technologies.

"We need our own digital capabilities in Europe, but we must not withdraw from global value chains," emphasised Süme. "Our companies need access to international technologies and markets. At the same time, we must create the conditions in Europe for digital value creation to take place and grow here."

From the eco Association's perspective, high-performance digital infrastructures, sufficient computing capacity, secure and competitive cloud and AI services, skilled workers and favourable investment conditions for innovation are therefore crucial.

"Companies have long since demonstrated their willingness to embrace digital transformation. Now we must ensure that Germany keeps pace in terms of infrastructure, regulation and digital capabilities," said Süme. "If Germany wants to be digitally ready by 2030, we must create the conditions for innovation and investment today."

All photos from the 2026 Internet Policy Forum can be found here.

About the Internet Policy Forum

The Internet Policy Forum organised by eco - Association of the Internet Industry is taking place for the tenth time in 2026. Since 2016, the event has brought together leading voices from politics, industry and other areas of society. Under the title "Digital Germany 2030 - How Digitally Ready Is Germany?", this year's forum focuses on Germany's digital competitiveness, digital sovereignty and the conditions required for a successful digital transformation.

About eco

eco - Association of the Internet Industry has been shaping the development of the Internet and the digital economy in Germany and Europe for more than 30 years. With around 1,000 member companies, eco is one of the largest Internet industry associations in Europe. Its members include companies from the data centre, cloud, telecommunications, hosting, IT security, digital platform and Internet infrastructure sectors. eco advocates for high-performance digital infrastructure, open and competitive markets, and a legal framework that fosters innovation.

About the study

The study by IONOS and YouGov examines the attitudes of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) towards the use of artificial intelligence. Around 4,000 decision-makers from SMEs in Germany, France, the UK, Italy and Spain were surveyed. The data used is based on an online survey conducted by YouGov Deutschland GmbH on behalf of IONOS among a total of approximately 4,000 decision-makers from small and medium-sized enterprises with up to 250 employees in Germany, France, the UK, Italy and Spain (survey period: January-March 2026).