More and more German companies make use of the possibility to deal online with public authorities. As was communicated by the Federal Statistical Office, about 49% of companies with internet access resorted to online services provided by public authorities. This is an increase of 18 percent as compared to the previous year. Most of the time it is blanks which are downloaded (81%) and information which is collected (73%).
71% of companies are said to send filled-in blanks back to public authorities via the internet and 16% came up with an online bid in the course of an electronic invitation to tender.
Furthermore, the internet is particularly used for online banking by companies. In 2007 about 72% of all companies with internet access made use of online banking and finance services (in 2003: 64%). The internet is furthermore an important source of information for market observation: 62% of companies said that they use the internet in order to gain information on their respective markets.
Last but not least the internet provides companies with an additional platform in order to present themselves to potential customers and business partners. Thus, in 2007 about 62% of companies with internet access had their own website. This corresponds to an increase of 22% as compared to 2003.
In 2007 about 77% of all German companies had internet access. Companies with 50 and more employees possessed almost without exception internet access. 