(de-news.net) – A new, more comprehensive framework governing national heating regulations is scheduled for introduction in spring, according to plans advanced by the CDU/CSU–SPD coalition. As outlined in the Coalition Committee’s result paper, the German government intends to repeal the existing Heating Law, in line with the coalition agreement, by adopting a substantially revised legislative package by late February. The forthcoming statute is expected to be held in a more adaptable and streamlined structure and to operate on a technology‑neutral basis, thereby broadening the range of permissible solutions. Chancellor Friedrich Merz indicated that the reformed legislation would henceforth be called the Building Modernization Act, signalling a shift toward a more integrated approach to energy‑related renovation policy.
To define the shared policy objective in detail, the parliamentary group leaders, specialized policy experts, and the ministers responsible — Katherina Reiche (CDU) for economic affairs and Verena Hubertz (SPD) for construction — are mandated to formulate essential criteria by the end of January 2026. These drafted criteria will serve as the foundation upon which the federal government is expected to prepare a cabinet recommendation without delay, as stated in the committee result paper. The process is intended to ensure coordinated legislative development and to provide a coherent framework for subsequent administrative implementation.
Representatives of the Green Party sharply criticized the postponement of a final decision on the reform, arguing that the black‑red government was leaving the public without necessary guidance. MP Alaa Alhamwi maintained that the coalition’s intention to defer key decisions into the new year contradicted earlier assurances that central points would be presented before the end of the current one. He characterised this shift as irresponsible toward households, businesses, and industrial actors, all of whom required timely clarity on issues such as heating system replacement and broader renovation obligations. Former parliamentary state secretary Michael Kellner likewise criticized what he described as an emerging pattern of organized passivity, asserting that both firms and consumers were being left without adequate support and that postponing essential decisions into the following year was unacceptable.
Minister Hubertz, by contrast, expressed confidence that the coalition would soon reach agreement on the reform package. She characterized the legislative overhaul as a demanding yet manageable undertaking and suggested that her ministry was progressing constructively toward the agreed catalogue of essential points.
