Weekly updates from the German Federal Parliament
The German federal government is taking several significant steps in various sectors, from child daycare improvements to tax reforms, and from animal husbandry to employee protection.
Child Daycare Quality Act
The federal government is providing €4 billion over the next two years to enhance the quality of child daycare. The funds will be allocated by the states in seven priority action areas, focusing on improving staffing ratios, language education, and daycare for children.
Animal Husbandry and Antibiotics
In an effort to reduce antibiotic use in animal husbandry, the German government is introducing a draft bill to amend the Animal Drug Act. This expansion of the national antibiotic minimization concept includes operations with dairy cows, young and laying hens, sows with suckling piglets, and calves born in the holding operation.
EU Cross-Border Transformation Directive (CBTD)
Germany, as an EU member state, is expected to transpose the CBTD into national law by early 2023. The Directive aims to facilitate cross-border transformations, mergers, and divisions of companies within the EU while ensuring employee protection. The specifics of the German draft bill regarding employee protection are not yet explicit, but it is likely to focus on preserving employees' rights and working conditions during cross-border transformations.
Tax Reforms
The Annual Tax Act 2022 is being introduced to bring necessary changes in various areas of German tax law, including adjustments for further digitalization, procedural simplification, legal certainty, and tax fairness.
Social Support Measures
Existing parental fee reductions will be continued, with staggered fees according to parental income, daily care time, and the number of children in the family eligible for child benefit. A monthly further education allowance of €150 is provided for citizens receiving the Citizen's Income, with a bonus of €75 for those participating in measures particularly important for sustainable integration into the labor market.
Energy Labels and Retirement Benefits
The federal government is introducing a Bill of the Federal Government for the implementation of origin labels on gaseous energy carriers such as gas and hydrogen, as well as for heat and cold. A one-time payment of €300 for retirees and federal pensioners is provided for in the third relief package, with payment expected to be made automatically by December 15.
Economic Stabilization Fund
The federal government is reactivating and realigning the Economic Stabilization Fund to prevent severe economic damage caused by the crisis-like developments on energy markets. The fund has a credit authorization of €200 billion in 2022.
Citizen's Income Reform
From January 1, 2023, the Citizen's Income will replace the current basic security (Hartz IV). The reform aims to bring people into long-term employment through comprehensive support, with mutual trust and cooperation as the priority. The basic rate of the Citizen's Income will be increased by about €50 and adjusted more quickly to inflation in the future.
Report on Eastern Germany
The report of the Commissioner for the East presents a new perspective on Eastern Germany, finding that while the East has developed well in recent years, incomes in the East are still lower than in West Germany, and East Germans have fewer savings and virtually no assets.
Planning Security Act
The federal government is submitting an application to extend the Planning Security Act until 31 December 2023, to continue being prepared for the uncertainties of the pandemic.
Military Support to Iraq
Germany's continued military support is requested by the Iraqi government and the Kurdish regional government to prevent the resurgence of the Islamic State in the region and contribute to more reconciliation in the country. The federal government is submitting an application to continue the Bundeswehr mandate to combat IS terrorism and stabilize Iraq, with an upper limit of 500 soldiers and a comprehensive review during the mandate period.
For precise, up-to-date details, further research on German government or legal sources specialized on corporate law and labor protections in cross-border situations, as well as on economic stabilization and social support measures, is recommended.
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