Cloud technologies in the public sector – guest article

Interview with Thomas Wieland, Head of Digitalization and E-Government at the Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region

Cloud technologies are already well established in the public sector. They are a key tool for modern administrative services, end-to-end processes, and resilient IT. They are gradually replacing numerous in-house system landscapes. Even though the latter can also be operated virtually as a cloud, in most cases there are many good reasons to involve external service providers.

In this interview, the Head of Digitalization and E-Government for the Rhine-Neckar Metropolitan Region (MRN) explains the role cloud services play in the context of administrative modernization, why sovereignty and resilience are key success factors, and how regional cooperation, standards, and trustworthy providers can accelerate the pace of digitalization.

What role do cloud services play in e-government and digitization in the public sector?

When it comes to e-government, cloud services are primarily a way of ensuring secure and stable operation despite growing demands: availability, scalability, and uniform operating models are becoming more important, while skilled workers are in short supply in the IT departments of many local authorities. At the same time, cloud approaches support standardization and reuse. When we develop and operate services according to common specifications, solutions can be rolled out more quickly – with clear security and compliance requirements as a basic precondition. This is precisely why we at MRN place a strong emphasis on cooperation and transfer: from pilot projects to blueprints that municipalities can pragmatically adopt. Cross-state and cross-level cooperation is the unique selling point of the MRN. The states of Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, and Rhineland-Palatinate see the region as a space for innovation, testing, and implementation.

Why is sovereignty important in this context, and what do you understand by it?

For me, sovereignty primarily means being in control and largely independent of third parties: Who decides on data, operations, keys, and access—and who can continue to provide services securely in an emergency? In the administrative environment, it’s not just about data protection, but also about the ability to act, i.e., the ability to operate critical processes without unclear dependencies, to change providers, and to set rules yourself. This is less an ideology than practical risk management – especially when it comes to core processes in public services.

How do you assess the current situation of public administration with regard to its dependence on non-European IT providers?

We see a noticeable dependence on a few large, often non-European platform providers – technologically, operationally, and in some cases also legally. The problem is not “the cloud” itself, but jurisdiction and enforcement options. With Schrems II, the ECJ made it very clear that data transfers to third countries are only permitted if there is essentially an equivalent level of protection there – and at the time, such a level was denied for the US.

In addition, the US CLOUD Act explicitly addresses the extraterritorial scope of access orders, which can lead to conflicts between US and EU law in Europe—and thus to uncertainty that administrations should not take as a risk.

How can regional cloud services help?

Regional cloud services can significantly strengthen trust, transparency, and control because proximity and responsibilities are more tangible: short distances, clear contact persons, comprehensible operating and security concepts. In practice, this also means suitable solutions for municipal realities, greater willingness to co-create, and higher acceptance of sensitive procedures. In addition, an ecosystem of regional providers is emerging that keeps digital value creation local – as is being discussed in the region, for example, through initiatives related to regional cloud services and partnerships. The Smart Industries network, rhein-neckar.io, and the MRN’s working group on digitization and e-government are just a few noteworthy initiatives. The MRN has numerous such initiatives, and most of them are justified due to their specialization, their stakeholders, or their target groups – others, on the other hand, would be better off being consolidated with existing networks.

Where do you see potential for optimization in the cooperation between administrations and providers?

We need to work together earlier and in a more structured way—less “throwing the specifications over the fence” and more creating a common understanding of the problem. Formats such as our inter-municipal exchange in the working group on digitization and e-government help to bundle requirements and prioritize projects in such a way that they are scalable and transferable. From a provider’s perspective, it is worthwhile to have a greater presence in the networks – and from an administrative perspective, it is worthwhile to be more courageous in piloting projects with clear standards. A good example is the seamless implementation of the digital craftsman’s parking permit in the MRN, a central online process implemented jointly with partners and recognized across the board – it is precisely this combination of cooperation, standard processes, and clean operation that we need more often. Strictly speaking, we can do everything ourselves at the highest level in the region. We have all the providers on site, from small businesses to globally active DAX companies, and we are top class in every category. This means that the requirements of companies and public administrations of all sizes can be met.

More about Thomas Wieland and the MRN:

Thomas Wieland is an expert in administrative modernization and e-government. As head of the IT operations department and Chief Digital Officer (CDO) of the Bergstraße district, the graduate in business administration has been gaining experience in the operational implementation of digitization projects since 2014. Since January 2022, Wieland has been Head of Digitalization and E-Government and Authorized Representative of Metropolregion Rhein-Neckar GmbH. He is also a lecturer in e-government at the Faculty of Economics in the Public Economics program at the Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University, Mannheim Campus.