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It is a well-rehearsed game at European level: Member States initially demonstratively support initiatives from Brussels in order not to appear anti-European.
Subsequently, however, capitals block the corresponding projects in committees, councils and working groups until they de facto fail and only appear pro forma on agenda for years.
Apparently the Federal Ministry of Justice is so principled that it does not want to support lip service at the European level, which is practically inconsequential.
The fourth European Digital Day will take place on Friday.
The event aims to raise awareness of digital issues in Europe.
The EU member states want to make a number of joint declarations, including on the "EU standard of excellence for start-up nations".
The draft of the declaration is available to WELT.
In it, the capitals want to declare that they will remove bureaucratic hurdles for start-ups.
Berlin apparently only wants to support the declaration to a limited extent, namely when it comes to the rapid digital registration of companies.
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In the Ministry of Justice there are evidently concerns that the intended registration within a day is not compatible with German law.
The "Handelsblatt" reports on a corresponding internal note from the ministry.
The discussion is not new, but the report on the ministry's concerns causes head shaking.
“It is now up to us to give Europe a new spirit of entrepreneurship and to finally clear out the bureaucratic and hurdle-rich path for founders and entrepreneurs.
Especially in Germany, ”says Nicola Beer (FDP), Vice President of the European Parliament.
"We should take the simplified rules as a charm offensive for Europe's start-up sovereignty, instead of reading them through the eyes of the person concerned and slowing them down."
The CDU MP Andreas Schwab can understand the concern about public trust in the registers, but considers it an overreaction to insist on overcomplicated procedures.
“Start-ups need our support and not excessive bureaucracy.
This does not call into question the reliability and public trust in the commercial register, ”says Schwab, who represents the conservative EPP group in the Internal Market Committee.
"It is clear that we have to become faster in order to give startups quick market access."
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The paper is just a letter of intent.
Christian Miele, President of the Federal Association of German Start-ups, explains that the federal government would not have been obliged to agree to the non-binding content.
“It's so typical for Germany, this attitude of just not taking any risks,” said Miele.
“That is a fatal message for Germany as a start-up location.” For Miele, the blockade is a symptom of a lack of understanding in this country for the needs of innovative companies.
"Of course we won't become innovation world champions that way."
According to the start-up association, anyone who wants to found a startup in Germany has so far required around two to four weeks.
In particular, the entry in the commercial register costs time and money and requires the assistance of a notary.
In addition, there may be waiting times for account registrations or lending.
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According to an analysis by the World Trade Organization (WTO) from 2018, the pure formalities - i.e. registration and notification when setting up a company - take around 8 days in Germany.
In Great Britain, founders only plan a good 4 days, in France and Denmark it is even faster.
But even after the company was founded, bureaucracy is the number one obstacle to startups: According to a survey by Commerzbank of 3,000 startups in 2019, 45 percent of all founders see complex legal requirements and regulation as the biggest hurdle for their companies.
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