2 Digital Agenda for Germany The digital transformation is opening up a vista of opportunities for improving our economic vitality and quality of life, and for safeguarding Germany’s future economic strength. The positive effects of digitisation can only unfold if this transformation is firmly rooted in the centre of society and is accepted and actively shaped by all societal groups. We, the Federal Government, acknowledge our responsibility to foster and actively assist this development. Accordingly, we view the implementation of the Digital Agenda as an open and ongoing process that is inclusive of all relevant groups in our society. This process starts with the cabinet decision and continues throughout the entire legislative period. In implementing the Digital Agenda, we want to seize the opportunities that digitisation presents to strengthen Germany’s role as an innovative and highly productive economy within the European Union and across the globe. We advocate the continuing development of the global Internet as an open, safe and free space that protects diversity of opinion and the exchange of ideas, and enables all citizens to inform themselves about and engage in social processes. Our digital policy is underpinned by the following strategic core objectives, and places people at the heart of all develop­ ments: zzGrowth and employment: Digital value creation and digital networking stimulate growth and drive efficiency in the digital world. The prosperity of our nation rests on the inventiveness and industry of our citizens and our enterprises. We must ensure that these strengths are maintained in an increasingly digitised world. The Internet and digitisation add new dimensions to the transfer of knowledge. Networked research is making the process of discovery and invention and their transfer into innovation faster than ever before. Germany’s strengths traditionally lie in the fields of industrial technology and production engineering. We are therefore ideally positioned to continue developing our intelligent, made-to-measure “Industry 4.0” production and logistics solutions and to enhance these with intelligent services to ensure sustainable growth and a consistently high level of employment. To do so, however, we must exploit to an even greater extent the innovative potential of Germany and, in particular, of our small and medium-sized enterprises. This will require high-quality education and training, but also the conviction to bring good ideas to market. A diverse start-up scene where innovations are quickly brought to market will be vital, and it is our intention that the Digital Agenda will improve the general conditions required in order for this to develop.