Approved Federal Council: New Legislation Now in Effect
In a recent meeting, the Bundesrat, Germany's federal council, approved a comprehensive agenda that included 11 draft bills and other topics. The key approved bills included a significant investment package aimed at companies, alongside measures on refugee family reunification, rent control, network expansion, refugee care funding, animal husbandry labeling, steel industry support, and solar panels in allotment gardens.
The Bundesrat endorsed a major tax relief package designed to stimulate economic growth and investment, known as the "Investment Booster" for companies. This includes a significant corporate tax rate cut from 15% to 10%, a 75% allowance for certain investments, and extended tax reliefs on research and development (R&D) expenditures. These measures aim to encourage business investments and innovation and have been described as the most important corporate tax reform package since 2008.
In addition, a new law was passed to suspend family reunification rights for refugees holding subsidiary protection status, affecting around 388,000 migrants. This aims to address integration challenges by limiting the number of family members entering Germany, with an expected reduction of about 12,000 family visas annually.
Regarding rent control, although the search results do not provide direct details on rent control legislation discussed in this Bundesrat meeting, rent control remains a significant policy area in Germany and may be addressed under broader housing or social policy frameworks, potentially linked to refugee integration and urban development.
The expansion of mobile and fiber optic networks in Germany has been granted "overriding public interest" by the Bundesrat, making approval procedures easier and faster. While no detailed bill on this was found in the search results, expansion of digital infrastructure including fiber optic networks is a common government objective and likely part of the broader investment growth agenda.
The Federal Council has addressed the federal budget for the year 2025 for the first time, calling for more financial support for the care and integration of refugees and public passenger transport. However, the search results do not specify exact bills on funding refugee care and public transport.
No specific information on animal husbandry labeling legislation was found in these results, indicating it may not have been a primary focus of the recent Bundesrat session or is under separate legislative processes. Similarly, there is no specific mention of approved steel industry support bills in the provided results, though industrial support often accompanies economic growth and sustainability policies.
No direct legislative details on solar panels in allotment gardens were found, potentially indicating this is either pending discussion or part of broader renewable energy incentives.
In summary, the Bundesrat meeting prominently approved a €46 billion investment and tax cut package focused on boosting corporate growth and economic stimulus, alongside a law suspending family reunification rights for refugees with subsidiary protection. Other topics like rent control, network expansion, and sector-specific support may be part of broader government policy but were not detailed in the available search information.
The Bundesrat's approved investment package, known as the "Investment Booster," includes corporate tax reductions and incentives for business investments and innovation, falling under the employment policy and finance sectors. The meeting also passed a law suspending family reunification rights for certain refugees, being a policy decision influenced by politics and general-news. However, specifics on rent control, network expansion, animal husbandry labeling, steel industry support, and solar panels in allotment gardens were not detailed in the search results, suggesting they could be part of broader business, employment policy, or general-news agendas.
