Update from Berlin #10 | Bundestag Sessions, Committee Hearings, Federal Court Meetings

Parliamentarians have three more weeks before summer break – thus this week is packed! Numerous public committee hearings, Bundesrat sessions and Federal Court meetings.

Florian von Gierke gives us a quick ride through the political agenda:

– CDU/ CSU Proposals
– Initiatives from Die Linke
– Truck Driver Legislation
– Construction Planning Digitalization
– Public Committee Hearings
– Bundesrat Session
– Federal Court Hearings

[Full Script]

Welcome from sunny Berlin to Update from Berlin for the week of June 12th.

It’s a full week here as Berlin closes in on the summer break. Parliamentarians have three more weeks and then, after Friday, July 7th, they’ll be off until September 4th.

Proposals of the opposition

The CDU / CSU parliamentary group has a bunch of items they’d like the Bundestag to debate before the summer break. On this week’s agenda are proposals for tax measures to entice heater exchanges, increased accessibility to public transport, and a debate on maternity leave for founders and self-employed.

The Left party is also putting up proposals. For example, a bill intended to make rail transport in Germany fit for the future will have its first reading this week.

Truck Driver Legislation & Construction Planning Digitalization

But not all proposals come from the opposition. The government also has a couple of items it would like parliament to consider. For one a bill aimed at truckers that work in Germany but are employed by a company from outside the Federal Republic. Furthermore a bill intended to increase digitalization in construction planning is on the agenda. Both these bills will likely be passed this week as they’re up for their second and third readings.

Public Committee Hearings

A bunch of items are in committee this week. For example today there’s going to be a public hearing on a bill intended to combat delivery shortages for pharmaceuticals. On Wednesday the Climate Action and Energy committee will have a public hearing on two bills concerning price barriers on heating-gas and electricity. Also on Wednesday the Economics Committee will hold a hearing on changes to Germany’s anti-monopoly law.

Bundesrat Session

The Bundesrat is also busy: On the agenda are items on support for care-work, initiatives by the federal states on temp work in care, payment of pre-birth genetic tests by public insurance companies and stronger protection for renters. The Bundesrat will also provide statements on measures currently making their way through other branches of government.

Federal Court Hearings

Lastly in Germany’s federal courts we’re expecting a hearing at the BGH on rules by the German football association concerning player placements. The Bundesverwaltungsgericht will hear cases on resident parking fees in Freiburg as well as on prohibitions of own blood treatment by alternative practitioners.

That’s just a snippet of what’s happening in Berlin this week. As always, leave a like and comment, it helps us and we like hearing from our audience; and if you have any questions, get in touch!