The German government aims to accelerate and streamline planning and approval processes. The goal is to prepare significantly more transport infrastructure projects for planning and approval in the future. (Photo: © Sarah Allison/123RF.com)
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June 2026
The German Bundestag has passed the Infrastructure Future Act. This is intended to make planning and approval processes more efficient and faster, particularly in the areas of transport and energy.
The Infrastructure Future Act, now passed by the Bundestag , provides for procedural simplifications for the Federal Transport Administration. With this, the Federal Government aims to accelerate and streamline planning and approval processes. The goal is to prepare significantly more transport infrastructure projects for planning and approval in the future.
The simplification of procedural regulations will contribute to significant and sustainable economic effects and benefits in the medium and long term, the law states. A modern and efficient transport infrastructure requires "that the necessary building permits for maintenance, renovation, new construction and expansion can be created in a timely and needs-based manner."
BillHere you will find the Bill of the Federal Government.
Here you will find the Transport Committee amended version.A uniform procedural law for all infrastructure projects in planning approval procedures is intended to facilitate the application of the law. Procedural redundancies in the transport sector due to spatial planning procedures and route determination are to be streamlined, and the approval procedures for the modernization of rail infrastructure are to be simplified.
The implementation of nature and environmental protection regulations is to be simplified. For certain projects of "overriding public interest," the principle of equal priority for compensatory payments under nature conservation law will be enshrined. Furthermore, environmental impact assessment requirements are to be simplified for additional rail projects.
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The skilled trades sector views the passage of the law as an important signal for faster planning and approval processes. "The law creates the basis for making faster progress in modernizing infrastructure, especially in the renewal of transport routes, the renovation of bridges and the elimination of bottlenecks in the existing network," says Holger Schwannecke.
The Secretary General of the Central Association of German Crafts also welcomed the further strengthening of the cut-off date regulation, the expanded possibilities for compensation payments in energy infrastructure projects and the extension of the overriding public interest to further areas, as these increase practicality and effectiveness.
"Germany needs reliable business conditions, faster procedures, and a clear signal for investment. This also includes the swift implementation of the building law reform currently being debated in the Bundestag. It is important that the planned law to strengthen natural infrastructure supports this course and does not hinder it with new obstacles," demands Schwannecke.
The protection of valuable natural areas is an important goal and must be ensured through targeted regulations. Schwannecke: "However, additional balancing requirements, higher compensation burdens, or new risks of delays must be avoided. Practical and flexibly implementable compensatory measures are needed that strengthen the natural environment while simultaneously enabling the implementation of construction projects."
The construction industry also welcomes the Bundestag's decision. "Germany has recently experienced several times what happens when dilapidated buildings are renovated too late. This is precisely where the law comes in. It makes planning and approval processes more efficient and legally sound – primarily through the legally enshrined overriding public interest in priority transport projects. The recent cases of damage demonstrate just how urgently this priority is needed," explains Felix Pakleppa, Managing Director of the German Construction Industry Federation.
He also views the strengthened responsibility of road construction authorities for construction projects on federal highways positively. In the future, the road construction authorities alone will be responsible; additional permits will generally no longer be required. Every month in the process is a month in which a structure deteriorates further. This risk will now be reduced.
"While there is still room for improvement, the proposed changes will represent enormous progress. Transportation projects such as the replacement of the Carolabrücke bridge in Dresden and other urgent measures can be tackled more quickly, thus preventing future bridge closures like the one in Bonn. The federal government has fulfilled its promises and delivered on them. Now it is the Bundesrat's turn, and we appeal to the states to approve the law," said Pakleppa.
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