Lutz Goebel, Chairman of the National Standards Control Council, has issued strong criticism regarding the government’s planned Building Modernization Act (GMG). According to Goethe, the legislation represents one of the most technically weak and impractical proposals the Council has encountered in recent years.
He stated to the newspaper “Bild” that the draft law is “in large parts barely comprehensible, unnecessarily complicated, and frequently incomprehensible for those affected”. Goebel pointed out that even specialized industry associations, which studied the topic extensively, noted issues with implementation difficulties and a lack of real-world applicability. He argued that such poorly conceived laws contribute significantly to the frustration of citizens with state authorities and political decisions.
Furthermore, Goebel assessed that the act will create additional bureaucratic entanglement and consultation costs. He cited the requirements for allocating auxiliary costs following the installation of fossil heating systems, noting that for many property owners, these hurdles are only manageable with external professional advice. He found unacceptable that the ministry appeared to underrepresent these genuine financial and administrative burdens.
In response, Goebel demanded that the Bundestag initiate substantial revisions. He asserted that any proponent who promises to reduce bureaucracy must refrain from submitting laws that introduce new uncertainties, new evidentiary obligations, or new complexities. Therefore, he insisted that the suggestions put forward by expert associations must be thoroughly reviewed within the parliamentary process before any revised draft is passed.