Abstract
The paper discusses the state of the research data infrastructure in Germany and presents ongoing activities for its improvement. The text emphasizes the need for continued advocacy and engagement for the advancement of the German data infrastructure to catch up with neighboring countries. It is for the common good when we enable researchers to access and blend data from multiple sources: it improves the quality, timeliness, granularity, and usefulness of statistics, facilitates more rigorous social and economic research, and supports evidence based policymaking and program evaluation.