Germany: Government, Public Sector

Germany is modernizing its foreign direct investment screening regime to align with EU standards by 2028. The leaked draft of the new Investment Screening Act reveals a largely familiar framework with elevated statutory protections, but introduces notable changes for EFTA investors and listed company thresholds. Will the final legislation maintain this continuity or introduce more substantial reforms as parliamentary debate unfolds?

A leaked draft of a standalone German Investment Screening Act (the “IPG”) has been circulating for a few days – offering a first concrete glimpse into the planned overhaul of Germany's FDI regime.

The June edition of the BUREN German Desk Newsletter examines critical developments in foreign investment screening, M&A transactions, and regulatory compliance for German companies operating in the Netherlands.

Two analysts from Stepwise's Global Strategic Engagement Team debate whether German Chancellor Friedrich Merz can survive the political fallout from the CDU's historic regional election losses in September, or if mounting party pressure will force his resignation. Ian Cameron argues Merz will cling to power despite weakened authority, while Thomas Goldstein contends his chancellorship appears terminal.

In July 2026, the German Federal Government adopted the National Action Plan to Promote Collective Bargaining (Action Plan) and submitted it to the Bundestag in September 2026.

Germany is modernizing its foreign direct investment screening regime to align with EU standards by 2028. The leaked draft of the new Investment Screening Act reveals a largely familiar framework with elevated statutory protections, but introduces notable changes for EFTA investors and listed company thresholds. Will the final legislation maintain this continuity or introduce more substantial reforms as parliamentary debate unfolds?

Germany is positioning itself to become Europe's dominant military power through an extensive defense modernization program that will run through 2039. With defense spending more than doubling since 2020 and investments spanning space, AI, drones, and long-range capabilities, Berlin's military ascendance creates both opportunities and tensions with traditional European defense leaders like France and Poland.

Germany's financial regulator Bafin is undertaking a major structural reorganization to intensify supervision of anti-money laundering, counter-terrorism financing, and cyber risks across the financial sector. The authority is creating a new specialized Anti-Financial-Crime division and reallocating approximately 30 additional positions to high-risk areas, signaling heightened scrutiny for financial institutions. What does this mean for compliance frameworks and audit preparedness in the German banking sect

The Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled on the scope of EU sanctions prohibiting the broadcasting of content from listed Russian media outlets, addressing whether the term 'operator' extends beyond commercial entities to include donation-funded platforms and individuals. The judgment clarifies critical questions about personal liability under Regulation 833/2014 and the relevance of broadcast duration in determining compliance obligations.

Das OLG Düsseldorf hat entschieden, dass öffentliche Auftraggeber bei produktspezifischen Ausschreibungen konkret nachweisen müssen, warum eine produktneutrale Ausschreibung nicht möglich ist. Die Entscheidung betrifft eine Ausschreibung der Stadt Datteln, die ausschließlich Apple iPads zuließ, und stellt hohe Anforderungen an die Dokumentation von Mehrkosten und technischen Beeinträchtigungen. Auftraggeber müssen nun bei jeder Vergabe erneut prüfen und vergabere

The European Commission has authorized EUR 400 million in German State aid to Sanofi to secure insulin supply within the EEA, marking a significant development in European pharmaceutical policy.

The European Commission has proposed replacing the EU's three core procurement directives with a single, directly applicable Regulation that would fundamentally reshape how companies compete for public contracts across Member States. The reform introduces mandatory quality criteria thresholds, embeds ESG considerations as evaluation factors, and establishes new security and European-preference provisions that could restrict participation based on ownership, supply chain exposure, and strategic dependencies.