Study visit to Germany by participants of the Personnel Reserve took place

Our participants have returned from a study visit where they gained valuable knowledge, explored German experience in public administration, obtained key insights, and got familiar with both best practices and mistakes in governance that should be taken into account when building and developing our own country.

• the current political situation and developments in Germany
• economic policymaking
• interaction between the federal level and the states (Länder)
• local self-government
• training of personnel for public administration, and more

We would like to share several interesting German approaches to problems that also exist in Belarus. The information is based on conversations and discussions with representatives of public administration and local government during the visit.

🔺 Digitalization of the country
In Germany, there is the association BITKOM, which works with technology exchange, business networking, and also lobbying business interests toward policymakers. It represents the digital economy and aims to make Germany a global leader in digital development. It includes startups, mid-sized companies, and international corporations with a large number of IT job openings. One of its key achievements is advancing the digitalization of German schools, with €5 billion allocated to this initiative.

🔺 Reducing bureaucracy
Germany, like many countries such as Norway, Finland, Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the Czech Republic, has established a Regulatory Control Council independent of the government. The council is part of the Ministry of Justice and is responsible for reviewing and controlling draft legislation. It evaluates federal projects throughout the entire process before approval by the Council of Ministers. In parliament it has no role, but without its assessment a draft cannot be submitted to the government. Every proposal is assessed based on cost-benefit analysis, and the council seeks cheaper and more efficient solutions where possible. In about 50% of cases, its assessments are made public and available online.

🔺 Political education
For example, in Germany the Konrad Adenauer Foundation has been operating since 1959, aiming to reflect political pluralism in the country and promote democratic civic education. There is also a strong focus on training public administration professionals and continuous professional development for civil servants.

🔺 Surviving severe economic hardship
After the war, Germany experienced severe shortages and went through two years of rationing and price controls. In 1946, a currency reform introduced the Deutsche Mark. Prices initially rose sharply, but the country tolerated deregulation. Investors saw market stability and returned to Germany, and producers gained confidence in the seriousness of economic reforms. The key principle was individual responsibility for investment decisions. The state should not intervene to rescue large companies or those connected to political elites. Strong private property rights and an independent central bank free from political pressure were also essential.

🔺 Local governance
All local matters are handled at the municipal level with financial autonomy and independent sources of tax revenue. Interestingly, schools are not part of municipalities; they only provide buildings, while they cannot dictate educational content or teaching priorities.

According to project coordinator Yury Gubarevich:

“Study visits provide a unique opportunity for participants of the Personnel Reserve to familiarize themselves with practical aspects of governance in EU countries, both at national and regional levels. To ask any questions and receive honest and detailed answers. To understand how policymakers make decisions, including at the international level, including issues concerning Belarusian citizens. In the near future we plan to continue organizing visits, this time to Poland and Lithuania.”