Germany speeds up the pace

Irrespective of whether the subject is roads, bridges, waterways or rail networks, infrastructure has now appeared on the political agenda. After the federal government approved the Special Fund for Infrastructure and Climate Neutrality (SVIK) last year, they recently agreed on a draft for the Infrastructure Future Act. Whereas the Special Fund represents an enormous investment package worth 500 billion euros, aimed at clearing the investment backlog in Germany and achieving climate neutrality by 2045, the Future Act is intended to raise the efficiency of planning and approval procedures, especially concerning the traffic and energy sectors. The former Federal Minister for Transport, Patrick Schnieder, stated: “The Infrastructure Act will enable us to speed up the pace by means of a paradigm shift. We will clearly define what infrastructure is strategically important to Germany and give it appropriate weight in our decision-making processes.”