The European Union faces the challenge of ensuring that its public administration, economy and critical infrastructure remain digitally efficient – whilst meeting stringent requirements in terms of security, compliance and user-friendliness. Materna brings to the table many years of experience in the public sector and highly regulated environments, and specialises in successfully implementing highly complex technical requirements. Below, we highlight examples of solutions that streamline processes, facilitate collaboration and strengthen digital sovereignty.
Customs is a key factor in ensuring that supply chains in Europe function effectively: it protects the single market, secures revenue and ensures that the movement of goods is compliant, transparent and predictable. For this to work in practice, digital processes are needed that reliably reflect complex rules and facilitate the smooth exchange of information between businesses, authorities and IT systems.
A central component of this in Germany is ATLAS (Automated Tariff and Local Customs Processing System), the established digital backbone for customs declarations and the processing of customs procedures. Materna brings in-depth domain knowledge and implementation experience to the table: we have been working on the successful development of ATLAS since 1992 – from functional and technical concepts through the implementation of software components to integration into complex system landscapes. This results in solutions that scale reliably in day-to-day operations and quickly adapt to changes in legislation and practice.
As a leading IT service provider for customs systems in Germany, Materna is now bringing this expertise to Europe: we understand the requirements for interoperable, secure and auditable processes and help to design business processes, data flows and operating models in such a way that they remain compatible with European standards and future developments. We also keep a close eye on the user experience, for example in the development of the AI-powered app “eZOLL”.
When goods are moved within Europe, speed, traceability and regulatory compliance are key – particularly for goods subject to excise duty. Systems such as EMCS (Excise Movement and Control System) ensure that declarations, documentation and checks operate digitally across borders, providing all parties involved with reliable status updates at all times. This facilitates trade, safeguards revenue and enables risks to be identified at an early stage.
The MoeVe (Modernisation of Excise and Transport Tax Enforcement) initiative is modernising processes relating to excise and transport taxes in Germany and systematically digitising them for both businesses and public authorities, from application submission through to processing within the specialist system.
In both processes, Materna brings its experience from complex, highly regulated IT landscapes to bear and acts as the implementation partner: we design end-to-end digital workflows, integrate specialist systems and portals, ensure quality in releases and provide stable ongoing development during operation. The result is solutions that work in everyday practice whilst also fitting into European standards and exchange mechanisms.
Materna is also converting the VAT refund procedure for non-EU citizens in Germany into a digital solution and providing support (eAKZ, Electronic Export Receipt).
Artificial intelligence is becoming a crucial enabler for effective institutions in Europe, at a time when data volumes are growing, processes are becoming more complex and there is a shortage of skilled workers. Sovereign AI can provide significant relief here: it automates repetitive tasks, supports decision-making and makes knowledge quickly accessible, without relinquishing control over data, models and operations.
Materna makes AI practical, sovereign and secure to use – from strategy development and use-case ideas through data and target architecture to productive, scalable operations. We combine AI innovation with industry and process expertise and integrate AI where it makes a difference: in services, workflows and specialist procedures. In doing so, we consider governance, data protection, IT security and regulatory requirements (e.g. the EU AI Act and EU Data Act) from the outset, ensuring that AI solutions are traceable, auditable and sustainable. We shape the cultural shift required for the successful deployment of AI solutions and high levels of acceptance.
Our focus areas are agent and assistant systems, service and process automation, knowledge and document management, data analysis and forecasting systems, digital situational awareness and digital twins.
Data is a strategic resource for Europe’s competitiveness and the government’s ability to act – provided it can be reliably consolidated, understood and shared in a controlled manner. Data platforms lay the groundwork for this: they link data from specialist systems, registers and external sources, enable interoperable data products and support the creation of trusted data spaces across organisational and national boundaries. This leads to faster decisions, better services and new digital ecosystems, without losing control over sensitive data.
Materna supports this ‘data journey’ end-to-end – from data strategy and target architecture through data governance, integration and analytics to stable operation. We implement federated data architectures and sovereign data spaces across various domains, e.g. in the ForeSightNext project (data space for energy-efficient and sustainable living), at CO2For-IT (federated data space for sustainability monitoring in the forestry and timber industry) or in GAIA-X initiatives such as GAIA-X 4 moveID (decentralised mobility data space). We also support organisations in navigating and implementing solutions within existing data ecosystems such as Catena-X and implement data-driven use cases, for example in geodata and remote sensing (e.g. Forest Planning 4.0) or as a prototype for data-based bridge condition monitoring. This results in platforms that function effectively in everyday use and are compatible with European standards.
In Europe, the cloud is a key driver of speed and scalability. At the same time, demands regarding data protection, security and digital sovereignty are increasing. A sovereign cloud provides the framework for operating data and workloads under European control, reducing dependencies and avoiding vendor lock-in. This is a prerequisite, particularly for public administration, critical infrastructure and highly regulated sectors, for setting up digital services that are resilient, auditable and sustainable in the long term.
Materna develops resilient and sovereign cloud and IT strategies, and implements sovereign cloud scenarios in practice – in line with cloud-first and multi-cloud strategies and with a clear focus on digital sovereignty. We develop customised IT architectures, relying on open standards and interfaces as well as container technologies to make applications portable and capable of running on more than one cloud infrastructure. This allows use cases such as registers, e-files or AI solutions to be implemented flexibly, with operating models that incorporate security, sovereignty and resilience, data protection and auditability from the outset.
Those who work with Materna benefit from an implementation partner that does not view complex requirements in isolation, but rather places them within their organisational, procedural and technological context. Technical depth, methodological strength and concrete implementation experience all come together in this process. This results in solutions that are not only conceptually sound, but also work in practice. Our experience of challenging projects, including those in regulated environments, shapes our structured approach to requirements – from precise analysis and realistic prioritisation through to sustainable implementation.
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