Position of the professional association: The proposals are counterproductive and implausible
On 17 December 2025, the Federal Cabinet approved the Infrastructure Future Act tabled by Federal Minister of Transport Patrick Schnieder. The Act is intended to simplify planning and approval procedures and to accelerate infrastructure and energy transition projects. The Federation of German Landscape Architects welcomes, in principle, the aim of making procedures more efficient and avoiding duplicate checks; however, the current version of the draft bill requires significant technical clarification and correction.
In the bdla’s view, several provisions therefore fall short of the stated objectives or even run counter to them in some respects. In particular, the professional association takes a critical view of:
• the lack of plausibility of the proposed structural reorganisations,
• dysfunctional changes to tried-and-tested assessment procedures and planning tools,
• restrictions on participation rights, which could lead to reduced acceptance of infrastructure projects, and•
a weakening of the nature conservation legislation governing interventions.
The bdla has drawn up a detailed statement on the draft bill and submitted it to the relevant members of the German Bundestag. The association will provide expert guidance throughout the further legislative process and continue the dialogue with political decision-makers. The first reading of the draft bill in the Bundestag is scheduled for the end of February 2026.
As early as 2024, the bdla had presented a position paper entitled ‘Recommendations for landscape-sensitive planning acceleration in times of biodiversity and climate crisis’. In this document, the association sets out how protracted planning and approval procedures can be effectively streamlined and simplified without neglecting environmental and social concerns.
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