Due to a synchronization error by the city’s IT service provider, regio iT, IT accounts for employees of the Aachen city administration were deactivated yesterday morning (May 18). Approximately two-thirds of IT workstations are affected. This is currently causing significant disruptions to administrative operations, which may also impact services for citizens. At this time, all scheduled appointments can still be kept. However, some applications are currently unavailable. This primarily affects digital administrative services. For example, it is currently not possible to apply online for bulky waste pickups, trash can exchanges, or electronic waste collection. Digital registration for construction sites, contractor parking permits, no-parking zones, and special permits/special uses (for public spaces) has also been unavailable since noon yesterday. The Department of Motor Vehicles asks that applications be sent to the following email address: strassenverkehrsbehoerde@mail.aachen.de 

Not all municipal specialist procedures are equally affected. While some are running stably in regular operation, there may still be restrictions, particularly for applications with a direct connection to the central directory services. For example, colleagues are currently unable to process applications for housing entitlement certificates or room requests and bookings for the Nadelfabrik and Depot buildings. In addition, ongoing case processing in cases relating to basic security benefits under SGB XII, the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act, the Education and Participation department, the Housing Benefit department and the Housing Agency department is considerably restricted, resulting in significant delays. There are also delays in the processing of building applications, for example, due to the disruption. However, ongoing payments will be made. In particular, appointment requests, applications, notarizations and payments in the area of youth and schools can currently only be made to a limited extent.

The city administration is working together with regio iT with the highest priority to stabilize regular operations as quickly as possible. "I would like to thank the city employees who are currently working hard and intensifying their efforts to enable regio iT to restore the user accounts," said Lord Mayor Dr. Michael Ziemons.

On Monday morning, regio iT imported a faulty synchronization into a central IT system as part of a planned maintenance measure. The exact cause is currently being carefully analyzed, but an external attack can currently be ruled out. Due to the complexity of the analysis and recovery, it is not yet possible to give a reliable date for the complete return to normal operation. However, restrictions can probably be expected until Whitsun.

The City of Aachen asks all citizens for their understanding for the inconvenience caused and thanks them for their patience during the ongoing work.