Weekly Affairs in the German Parliament (Bundestag)

In the ongoing 146th Session of the German Bundestag, several draft bills are under discussion, aiming to shape the future of the country in various sectors. Here's a roundup of some of the key proposals:

Agriculture and Environment

The draft bill includes provisions to reduce agricultural subsidies, increase CO2 pricing, and facilitate the installation of solar devices on balconies for electricity production. The aim is to promote sustainable farming and encourage renewable energy.
The Agricultural Policy Report 2023, currently being discussed in the 147th Session, provides insights into the state of agriculture in Germany, including the number of operations, income fluctuations, and the worsening situation on the land market.
The number of agricultural operations in Germany has decreased significantly in recent decades, with 36,100 operations abandoned between 2010 and 2020. More and more operations are converting to organic farming, with almost 37,000 farms operating organically at the end of 2022, accounting for 14.2% of all agricultural operations.

Budget and Fiscal Policies

The draft bill for the Budget Finance Act 2024 aims to implement savings in the federal budget for 2024 and subsequent years. The federal government is also discussing a report on the Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG), which highlights increased subsistence levels and allowances following the 27th BAföG Amendment Act of July 21, 2022.
Regulations regarding minimum fill levels for gas storage facilities, originally set to expire on April 1, 2025, are proposed to be extended until April 1, 2027, in another draft bill under discussion.

Immigration and Law Enforcement

The draft bill makes it possible to return foreign nationals without the right to stay in Germany more quickly, with measures planned to make procedures more effective and enforce the obligation to leave more consistently by removing obstacles to enforcement.
The federal government is discussing a draft bill to establish a federal police ombudsperson, which will be responsible for the employees of the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), the Federal Police, and the police of the German Bundestag.

Energy and Infrastructure

The draft bill aims to simplify the process of temporarily increasing the load on the high-voltage grid by using reserve power plants. Additionally, the bill proposes the realization of a hydrogen infrastructure through private enterprise and its full financing through network charges, with initial caps to prevent high network charges from hindering the hydrogen ramp-up.

Digital Services and Natural Hazards

The Digital Services Act (DSA) of the EU is to be supplemented in Germany by a draft bill of the federal government, which will establish a central office in the Federal Network Agency to monitor online platforms and search engines for compliance with the rules and take action against illegal content.
The Natural Hazards Portal, a web portal aimed at improving access to precautionary and warning information in Germany, is being discussed in the Draft Bill of the Federal Government for the Amendment of the DWD Act.

Part-Time Service for Volunteers

The draft bill of the Federal Government for a Voluntary Part-Time Act aims to make it easier for volunteers under the age of 27 to perform part-time service, regardless of special life circumstances.

While the exact proposed changes in the 2024 budget following the November 2023 Federal Constitutional Court ruling cannot be confirmed due to limited search results, the ruling often prompts the German government to adjust its budget plans to comply with constitutional requirements. For specifics on the ruling’s impact, one might check official German government budget documents or constitutional court press releases from late 2023 and early 2024, as well as trusted policy analysis published in Germany post-November 2023.

In the discussions surrounding the Budget Finance Act 2024, the federal government is also considering a report on the Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG), which could potentially lead to increased subsistence levels and allowances.
General-news: In the ongoing debates about the 2024 budget, there is uncertainty about the exact changes following the November 2023 Federal Constitutional Court ruling, but the ruling has historically prompted adjustments to ensure constitutional compliance.