IT security to be largely exempt from the debt brake

The CDU/CSU, SPD and the Greens have agreed on a financial package that loosens the debt brake. This also includes the budget for IT security: like expenditure for the German armed forces, disaster and civil protection and intelligence services, it will no longer be counted towards the debt brake if expenditure exceeds 1% of gross domestic product in future. This was announced by Friedrich Merz, probably the next Federal Chancellor and CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader, and Alexander Dobrindt, head of the CSU parliamentary group, at the presentation of the agreement on Friday afternoon.

This means that – after IT security had recently been repeatedly declared a budget cut item despite much lip service –, significantly more funds should now be available for the responsible agencies, above all the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) in Bonn. According to negotiating circles, the Federal Foreign Office will also be able to receive significantly more money for cyber security measures if required.

However, the plans have not yet been substantiated. The changes to the debt brake and the establishment of a 500 billion euro special fund for investments in infrastructure with a term of 12 years still have to be approved by the Bundestag with a two-thirds majority. The CDU/CSU, SPD and Green parliamentary groups negotiated the agreement into the early hours of the morning.

(mma)