Ministerial round: pension, ticket, undeclared work: cabinet approves 23 laws

From pension to Germany ticket: Despite the summer break, the federal government has launched almost two dozen draft laws that can now be debated in the Federal Council and the Bundestag. “This is the cabinet meeting with most of the laws that have been decided in this election period,” said a government spokesman in Berlin.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz actually wanted to be on vacation, but now the CDU boss still headed the session with the Mammut agenda. According to government circles, the fact that so many laws were on the agenda at once are also due to deadlines for the Federal Council: they can be treated at the next meeting in September.

An overview of the most important decisions:

By the end of the year, the Bundestag is to decide on a law for stable pensions and better pensions for millions of mothers. Specifically, the so -called pension level should be kept at 48 percent – this describes the ratio of a standard pension to the current average wage. This means that the pensions are a bit higher than without the reform. In addition, from 2027, parents receive three years of parenting for children who were born before 1992 instead of two and a half years.

The improvements should be paid for tax money – nevertheless, employees and employers also have to adjust to somewhat higher costs: From 2027, the pension contribution should increase from 18.6 to 18.8 percent today.

The Federal Government has launched plans to free companies and consumers from costs of the gas storage levy. Minister of Economics Katherina Reiche (CDU) spoke of a relief of around 3.4 billion euros. A four -person budget can save 30 to 60 euros a year depending on the consumption. The federal government will be financed by the federal government in the future. According to the draft law, this levy currently accounts for around 2.4 percent for budget customers and around 5 percent of the gas price for major customers.

At the nationwide local transport sticket, there will be another price increase in the coming year. The cabinet decided that the federal government can also participate in the financing with 1.5 billion euros in 2026. According to information from the countries, the money is not sufficient to compensate for expected additional costs and keep the price stable.

So far, the federal and state governments have each given 1.5 billion euros for the ticket to cushion outputs for transport companies. Because most usual commuter subscriptions were much more expensive before. However, the financing is only laid down for 2025. According to the industry, the ticket is used by around 14 million people and enables trips in public regional and local transport nationwide. At the beginning of the year, the price had been raised from 49 to 58 euros a month.

The nursing profession should become more attractive, but nursing staff should receive more skills in patient care. In the future, for example, they should supply wounds and treat diabetes – things that have so far only been allowed to do doctors. In addition, they should have to deal with forms and bureaucracy less and thus have more time for those in need of care.

Barbershops, cosmetics and nail studios are targeted in the fight against undeclared work and money laundering. Your employees should always have the ID card for possible controls in the future – similar to the time in the construction industry and the catering industry.

In addition, the financial control of undeclared work is to become powerful against severe economic crime and organized crime. Better digital networking and better data exchange between authorities are planned. In order to relieve the judiciary, financial control should be able to punish fraud cases independently.

In order to better uncover large -scale tax fraud, booking documents should be kept at banks, insurance and securities institutions for ten years in the future. The federal government does not fear too much bureaucracy – in most cases, these evidence is digitally archived anyway. A retention period of eight years also applies to all other taxpayers.

The cabinet approved the tariff loyalty law, which is intended to secure good working conditions in large public orders. In the event of federal public contracts from 50,000 euros, companies should have to pay their employees according to tariff conditions. You have to grant remuneration, Christmas bonus, vacation and rest periods as in industry -customary collective agreements. Orders for procurement for the Bundeswehr are excluded.

In addition, the allocation of public orders should become easier, faster and digital. For this, value limits for direct orders should be increased. The aim is that, for example, funds from the special fund can flow quickly for the repair of the infrastructure.

In order to achieve climate goals, the federal government wants to enable underground storage of the harmful CO2. A transport network is also to be expanded. Reich speaks of a “milestone” on the way to decarboning the industry. It is primarily about industrial processes in which CO2 emissions cannot be avoided, as in the cement, lime and aluminum industry.