The law firm Becker Büttner Held (BBH) has been commissioned by the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (Bundesinstitut für Bau-, Stadt- und Raumforschung – BBSR) to author five smart brochures highlighting the legal aspects that should be taken into account in the context of municipal digitalisation projects.
Under the concept of “smart cities”, the digital transformation has long reached the German cities, towns and municipalities. In 2017, the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community (Bundesministerium des Innern, für Bau und Heimat) published the Smart City Charter, which focuses on the challenges presented by the digital transformation of cities, towns and municipalities. The Charter sets out guidelines and recommendations for tackling these challenges. But how can the guidelines be practically implemented in the cities, towns and municipalities and what is the legal framework applicable in this regard? How can municipalities, towns and cities act as digital service providers?
These are the questions that the BBH lawyers Dr. Roman Ringwald, Thomas Schneider and Tom-Philipp Willi address in their reports on the subject “Shaping smart cities” for the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development within the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning (Bundesamt für Bauwesen und Raumordnung – BBR). The Institute commissioned five practical brochures which outline the legal framework of the digital transformation for cities, towns and municipalities. The focus is on the issues of procurement law, legal and organisational structures for digitalisation projects, potentials and limits of the laws governing the economic affairs of municipalities, the use of municipal data as well as the provision of public services and digital participation.
The reports are available free of charge under this link.
Becker Büttner Held is a leading provider of advisory services for energy and infrastructure companies and their customers. Energy and supply companies, particularly public utilities, municipalities and local authorities, industrial companies and international groups are among its core clients. BBH advises these and many other companies and organisations in all legal matters and also assists them with business and strategic advice.
Contact:
Prof. Dr. Ines Zenke
Lawyer, Partner
phone +49 (0)30 611 28 40-179
ines.zenke(at)bbh-online.de
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