Energy transition in the context of state modernisation and bureaucracy reduction
State modernisation, bureaucracy reduction and digitalisation are words on everyone’s lips. These overarching topics also affect and influence the design of the energy transition. For the transformation of energy supply, they offer various potentials for simplification, acceleration and optimisation, but these must be reconciled with European and domestic constitutional framework conditions. The focus is on efficient institutions, modernised and digitalised administrative structures and the question of how good legislation, efficient administrative action and a reduction in regulatory complexity can succeed without losing sight of rule of law standards.
However, a new state mindset and a redefinition of a lean state could also raise fundamental questions about the role of state control, and the selection and design of concrete instruments. This is not just about the buzzword of reducing bureaucracy, which is used in the political discussion with different objectives, but about better and more effective law for transformation.
Possible research approaches
- How can regulatory complexity be reduced without jeopardising rule-of-law standards? And what contribution can this make to accelerating the energy transition?
- How should laws be designed so that they can be implemented simply, efficiently and as uniformly as possible, thus facilitating the implementation of the energy transition?
- What is the record of acceleration legislation to date and what can be derived from it for future legislative projects?
- How can digitisation and artificial intelligence accelerate processes of planning, approval and administration and what legal framework conditions are required for this?
- How can the law create space for innovation, experimentation and new forms of participation in order to accelerate the energy transition and strengthen its acceptance?