The Federal Council should refuse to approve this botched Tariff Compliance Act

BDA CEO Steffen Kampeter on the adoption of the Tariff Compliance Act:

The Federal Council should refuse to approve this botched Tariff Compliance Act

Berlin, 26 February 2026. “The Federal Government preaches cutting red tape, yet with the so‑called Tariff Compliance Act it is creating new, complicated regulations. Who is seriously meant to believe the Sunday speeches promising relief?

Experience with comparable laws in the federal states shows: the administrative burden increases, it becomes more expensive for taxpayers, legal uncertainty grows, and it keeps bureaucrats busy – what does not improve is collective bargaining coverage. The fact that, at the insistence of the CDU/CSU, some simplifications were agreed unfortunately does nothing to change this.

The Federal Council should refuse to approve this botched piece of legislation. A mediation committee could pave the way for a solution that promotes growth, complies with the law and reduces bureaucracy. Ideally, the law would be placed in the filing cabinet marked ‘Red Tape Reduction’ and never taken out again.”