Technology - No more faxes: Bundestag switches off devices
In the Bundestag, it has been the case since the beginning of the month: The Bundestag administration has ensured that all processes and tasks, for which fax machines had previously been used, can now be completely processed digitally, the Bundestag press office informed dpa upon request. "The fax machines were therefore dismantled in the past weeks."
The Budget Committee had requested the Bundestag administration in November of the previous year to remove all fax machines from the properties of the house by no later than June 30, 2024. Remaining machines will be picked up by IT department employees in the coming days. The Bundestag still has a fax number, however, which it can be reached at for citizen inquiries. The messages will then be processed digitally.
"This step was long overdue," said the Parliamentary Business Manager of the FDP fraction, Torsten Herbst. "A modernly equipped Bundestag must consistently continue the digitalization of communication." "Visitors have often wondered in recent years why fax machines still stand before the committee meeting rooms."
- Despite the complete digital transition of faxing processes within the Bundestag, the parliament still maintains a fax number for citizen inquiries, ensuring continuity in communication utilizing information technology.
- The Bundestag administration, embracing the shift towards information technology, has complied with the Budget Committee's request to retire all fax machines from its premises by 2024, contributing to Germany's digitization in the Bundestag.
- Torsten Herbst, the Parliamentary Business Manager of the FDP fraction, praised the removal of fax machines from the Bundestag as a necessary step towards modernizing the administration, addressing the curiosity of visitors who pondered the presence of fax machines in a digital age.
