Tag: Finance
German health spending returns to pre-pandemic levels
(de-news.net) – In 2023, the German Federal Government funded 75.7 billion euros (15.4 percent) of total health expenditures (491.6 billion euros), a 31.1 percent drop from 2022 due to the reduction of pandemic-related measures. This funding level is comparable to the pre-COVID era. The remaining…
Number of ATMs in Germany falls below 50,000
(de-news.net) – In 2024, the number of ATMs in Germany fell below 50,000, marking a continued decline with a 3-percent-reduction from the previous year. Though cash access remains assured, it has become less convenient, with an average distance of 1.4 kilometers to the nearest ATM…
‘Made for Germany’ with projections of multibillion-euro investments
(de-news.net) – German Chancellor Friedrich Merz convened prominent corporate leaders affiliated with the ‘Made for Germany’ initiative. The assembled executives articulated projections of multibillion-euro investments intended to reinforce Germany’s status as a premier destination for enterprise and innovation. As of the current reporting period, a…
Bundesrat passes laws to stimulate long-term growth and competitiveness
(de-news.net) – In a step toward recalibrating Germany’s economic trajectory, the Bundesrat has unanimously ratified the Bundestag’s immediate investment package, signaling unified federal and state support for an ambitious agenda of fiscal stimulus, regulatory reform, and industrial modernization. The cornerstone of the initiative – the…
Dürr (FDP) proposes capital-funded schemes for youth over state reliance
(de-news.net) – Christian Dürr, chair of the Free Democratic Party (FDP), has proposed for young individuals with limited income to be excluded from the statutory pension framework, suggesting the redirection of their contributions into capital-funded schemes. He contended that such a shift would afford them…
Political divide over regulating global tech giants
(de-news.net) – Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Katherina Reiche (CDU) opposes a digital tax on major US tech firms, as proposed by Minister of State for Culture Wolfram Weimer. Reiche emphasized the need to reduce trade barriers and improve competitive conditions for domestic and European…
German Chamber of Industry and Commerce advocates for structural reforms
(de-news.net) – The Federal Government has been encouraged by business organizations to focus structural reforms in addition to greater investment. The CEO of the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Helena Melnikov, stressed the need of strategically, effectively, and growth-oriented allocation of infrastructure fund resources….
Federal-state commission on the reform of long-term care in session (Update)
(de-news.net) – The inaugural session of the federal-state commission on the reform of long-term care was held in Berlin, with the primary objective of safeguarding the financial sustainability of Social Long-Term Care Insurance and ensuring its resilience amid demographic transformations. Federal Minister of Health Nina…
Debates about the future of the Deutschlandticket (Update)
(de-news.net) – Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder (CDU) has proposed linking the price of the Deutschlandicket to inflation as a potential solution for sustainable pricing, suggesting this would eliminate the need for annual renegotiations. While federal and state governments appear unwilling to exceed the existing…
Coalition defers electricity tax relief for consumers, fast-tracks Mütterrente
(de-news.net) – Electricity tax relief will remain restricted to the industrial sector and agriculture. Following extended negotiations, the coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD failed to reach consensus on a comprehensive reduction of electricity taxes for all consumers. Broader reductions for households and other economic sectors…
From entitlement to accountability: budget cuts and a reconfiguration of Bürgergeld sanctions
(de-news.net) – According to recent media accounts referencing senior officials within the Federal Ministry of Finance, the German Federal Government is poised to implement substantial fiscal retrenchments within the framework of its social welfare program, commonly referred to as Bürgergeld. Specifically, it is projected that…
Debates about a reform of the electricity tax in Germany
(de-news.net) – The German Federal Government has refined the eligibility criteria for a proposed reduction in electricity taxation, aiming to implement a previously announced fiscal relief measure. According to a spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of Finance, the measure is designed to encompass the entire…
