Bundeswirtschaftsministerin Katherina Reiche (CDU) has announced her intention to intervene in legislation proposed by other ministries. In an interview with the “Handelsblatt”, Reiche stated that she will primarily ensure that laws are not detrimental to growth. She criticized the proposals from Labor Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD) regarding the minimum wage and pension system. Reiche stated, “You have seen the proposals from the Federal Ministry of Labor in recent days.”
Regarding the debate on the supply chain law, Reiche said she wants to adhere to the coalition agreement, but may go beyond it. Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) recently faced opposition from the SPD after proposing to completely scrap the national supply chain law and the EU Supply Chain Directive with his proposal that went beyond the coalition agreement.
Reiche explained that the first step will be to eliminate reporting requirements and then focus on reducing bureaucratic costs for businesses by 25 percent. She acknowledged that this is a significant task and even the EU Commission recognizes that the regulatory fervor has become excessive.
Reiche also emphasized that the Ministry of Economy should focus more on the economy and growth. She noted that the ministry has recently been perceived primarily as a climate and energy ministry. She does not see the loss of competencies to other ministries as a hindrance, stating that the ministry was previously a “giant tanker” with eleven departments and approximately 2,500 employees. Therefore, it is logical to focus more on key areas.