The Committee on Legal Affairs and Consumer Protection 2 “Whether it is changes to the Crimi- nal Code, the Civil Code or other laws, or subjects such as the rent- rise cap, how user data is handled online, or restrictions under the Act to Improve Enforcement of the Law in Social Networks: the Committee on Legal Affairs and Consumer Protection deals with important issues which touch on or even help to shape the daily lives of people in .”

Stephan Brandner, AfD Chairman of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Consumer Protection

3 The German ’s decisions are prepared by its committees, which are estab- lished at the start of each elec- toral term. Four of them are stipulated by the Basic Law, the German constitution: the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Defence Committee, the Committee on the Affairs of the European Union and the Petitions Committee. The Budget Committee and the Committee for the Rules of Procedure are also required by law. The spheres of respon- sibility of the committees essentially reflect the Federal Government’s distribution of ministerial portfolios. This enables Parliament to scruti- nise the government’s work effectively.

The Bundestag committees The German Bundestag sets political priorities of its own by establishing additional committees for specific sub- jects, such as sport, cultural affairs or tourism. In addition, special bodies such as parlia- mentary advisory councils, The committees discuss and committees of inquiry or deliberate on items referred study commissions can also to them by the plenary. They be established. The commit- also have the right to take up tees are composed of mem- issues on their own initiative, bers of all the parliamentary allowing them to set priorities groups, reflecting the balance in the parliamentary debate. of these groups in the German When necessary, they draw Bundestag. The distribution on external expertise – usu- of the chairs and deputy ally by holding public hear- chairs among the parliamen- ings. At the end of a commit- tary groups also reflects their tee’s deliberations, a majority relative strengths in the ple- of its members adopt a recom- nary. In the current electoral mendation for a decision and term, the committees have a report, which serve as the between nine and 49 mem- basis for the plenary’s deci- bers. sion.

5 The Committee on Legal Affairs and Consumer Protec- tion deals with all items of parliamentary business relat- ing to justice and legal affairs, as well as consumer protec- tion policy. This includes draft legislation on legal affairs in the traditional sense, such as family law, civil and criminal law, including the law governing the prison ser- vice, or copyright law. The Committee also deals with topical issues relating to con- sumer protection, such as the rights of passengers, banking practices, or safety issues when entering into contracts online. The 43 members of the Committee, chaired by (AfD), dis- cuss a wide range of topics

The Committee on Legal Affairs and Consumer Protection affecting everyone in Germany, and help to draw up funda- mental legal rules which regu- late coexistence in society. The Committee’s work is increasingly dominated by EU comment on proceedings legal and consumer protection brought before the Court. The policy, for neither online Bundestag is often consulted commerce nor crime stop at if such proceedings are of par- Germany’s borders. In addi- ticular relevance to Parlia- tion to serving as the lead ment, for example, or the leg- committee on items falling islative process in the German within its remit, the Commit- Bundestag is being challenged. tee is also asked for its opin- If the Committee’s rapporteurs ion on many others. It gives decide that a statement should its views on a large proportion be submitted to the Federal of the motions and bills con- Constitutional Court, it is pre- sidered by the Bundestag. Its pared by the Committee in members scrutinise bills to cooperation with a legal coun- ensure they do not infringe sel appointed to represent the the Basic Law or international Bundestag. Current proceed- obligations. This gives the ings before the Federal Con- members of the Committee a stitutional Court regarding good overview of much of which the Bundestag has sub- Germany’s federal legislation. mitted a statement include The Committee also takes the proceedings about the CETA lead if the Federal Constitu- free trade agreement or the tional Court gives the German Unified Patent Court, for Bundestag an opportunity to example.

15 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ CDU/CSU 9 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ SPD 6 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ AfD 5 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ FDP 4 ■ ■ ■ ■ Party 4 ■ ■ ■ ■ /The Greens

Number of members: 43 Chairman: Stephan Brandner, AfD Deputy Chairman: Professor , CDU/CSU

7 The Subcommittee on European Law

Given the special importance of items of business relating to European affairs in the One of the Bundestag’s key Bundestag’s work and, in par- functions is ensuring parlia- ticular, the work of the Com- mentary scrutiny of the Fed- mittee on Legal Affairs and eral Government. In this con- Consumer Protection, the text, the Committee on Legal Committee has once again set Affairs and Consumer Protec- up a subcommittee focusing tion plays an active, formative specifically on European law role in the parliamentary pro- in the current electoral term. cess. Its nine members, chaired by Whether through amendments Heribert Hirte (CDU/CSU), to government bills, recom- discuss European Union pro- mendations that opinions jects relating to legal and con- should be delivered on items sumer protection policy, and of business concerning Euro- issue recommendations to the pean legislation, or requests Committee on Legal Affairs for oral or written briefings on and Consumer Protection on other political initiatives: the what action should be taken. Federal Government is contin- Once again, the spectrum of uously called upon to explain topics covered is wide – rang- or correct its work. ing from the establishment of

8 a European Public Prosecu- tor’s Office and the creation of a European Criminal Records Information System, to the question of what law applies in the case of cross-border marriages, to action to tackle fraud and counterfeiting exercising the national parlia- involving non-cash means of ments’ rights in the European payment, and cooperation on Union, which were boosted by consumer protection within the Treaty of Lisbon. the European Union. By pre- The Bundestag itself can paring the recommendations deliver opinions on EU pro- on European policy which the jects to the European institu- Committee on Legal Affairs tions, or call on the Federal and Consumer Protection sub- Government to seek, as it con- mits to the Bundestag as a ducts negotiations, to achieve whole, the Subcommittee the objectives set out by the plays an important part in Bundestag.

9 Copyright in the digital single market, protection of sexual self-determination, and the rent-rise cap – the enforcement officers, and to Committee’s work in practice tackle unauthorised street rac- ing. Arguments on these and The Committee on Legal other topics are exchanged not Affairs and Consumer Protec- only at the Committee’s regu- tion regularly holds public lar meetings behind closed hearings of experts and doors, but also at public hear- receives briefings from govern- ings. The members of the ment representatives. A wide Committee draw on experts’ spectrum of topics are covered: specialised knowledge when from draft legislation on end- forming their opinions and, of-life care, to copyright in the where appropriate, in the pro- digital single market, to same- cess of wording amendments sex marriage. The Committee to draft legislation. One issue also deals with measures to which the Committee regularly enhance the protection of sex- revisits is protecting tenants’ ual self-determination, to pre- rights. In view of the tight vent child marriage, to tighten housing market in many urban up the provisions of criminal areas in Germany, the Bundes- law so as to better protect tag took the decision to reform

10 tenancy law, on the basis of a government bill, and intro- duced a rent-rise cap. Motions tabled by the opposition par- liamentary groups have called, both then and now, for this rent-rise cap to be further rein- forced – by eliminating exemp- tions, for example, or by intro- ducing fuller obligations for landlords to provide informa- tion. There are clearly no limits to the variety of the topics with which the Committee deals – body which examines bills to whether as the lead committee ensure they comply with the or as a committee asked for its constitution. In short, the opinion. It is responsible for members of this Committee dealing with measures relating play a vital role by examining to legal affairs and consumer and helping to shape federal protection, and it is also the legislation.

11 Professor Heribert Hirte, Stephan Brandner, CDU/CSU AfD Deputy Chairman Chairman University professor, Lawyer, b. 31 Mar. 1958 b. 1966 in Herten; in ; married; children. married; two children. Bundestag Member Bundestag Member since 2017 since 2013

Committee members The 43 members of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Consumer Protection

12 , , , CDU/CSU CDU/CSU CDU/CSU Lawyer, Architect, Lawyer, b. 30 Mar. 1964 b. 23 Aug. 1961 b. 3 July 1972 in Nuremberg; in Andernach; in Rheydt; married. married; three children. married; one child. Bundestag Member Bundestag Member Bundestag Member since 2009 since 2009 since 2009

Alexander Hoffmann, , Dr Jan-Marco Luczak, CDU/CSU CDU/CSU CDU/CSU Lawyer, Former State Secretary, CDU/CSU spokesman b. 6 Mar. 1975 b. 4 Apr. 1978 on the Committee in Würzburg; in - Lawyer, married; one child and Sonnenberg; b. 2 Oct. 1975 one foster child. married; one child. in ; unmarried. Bundestag Member Bundestag Member Bundestag Member since 2013 since 2017 since 2009

13 Professor Patrick Axel Müller, Carsten Müller, Sensburg, CDU/CSU CDU/CSU CDU/CSU Former presiding judge Bank clerk, lawyer, University lecturer, at regional court, b. 8 May 1970 lawyer, b. 24 July 1963 in Braunschweig. b. 25 June 1971 in Esslingen am Neckar. Bundestag Member in Paderborn. Bundestag Member from 2005 to 2009 Bundestag Member since 2017 and since 2013 since 2009

Nina Warken, , Dr Volker Ullrich, CDU/CSU CDU/CSU CDU/CSU Lawyer, Lawyer, Lawyer, b. 15 May 1979 b. 19 June 1973 business administrator, in ; in ; married; b. 14 Oct. 1975 married; three children. two children. in Illertissen. Bundestag Member Bundestag Member Bundestag Member from 2013 to 2017 since 2013 since 2013 and since Dec. 2018

14 Elisabeth Winkelmeier-Becker, CDU/CSU CDU/CSU spokes- woman on legal affairs , and consumer pro- CDU/CSU tection Dr Karl-Heinz Brunner, Former presiding judge Former local court SPD at regional court, judge, Business administrator, b. 16 Dec. 1959 b. 15 Sep. 1962 b. 14 Mar. 1953 in ; in Troisdorf; in Munich; married; two children. married; three children. married; two children. Bundestag Member Bundestag Member Bundestag Member since 2002 since 2005 since 2013

Dr , SPD SPD spokesman on the Committee, SPD spokesman on , legal affairs and Michael Groß, SPD consumer protection SPD Lawyer and notary, Lawyer, Division manager, b. 18 Sep. 1965 b. 25 Nov. 1972 b. 26 July 1956 in Hofgeismar; in ; in Marl; married; three children. married; two children. married; two children. Bundestag Member Bundestag Member Bundestag Member since 2017 since 2013 since 2009

15 , SPD Dr , Executive at the , SPD Workers’ Samaritan SPD Political scientist, Federation, Political scientist, lawyer, musician, b. 21 Apr. 1961 b. 31 Jan. 1983 b. 11 Sep. 1971 in ; in Cologne; in Berlin; married. unmarried. unmarried; one child. Bundestag Member Bundestag Member Bundestag Member since 2013 since 2015 since 2013

Sonja Amalie Steffen, , , SPD AfD SPD Lawyer, Lawyer, Lawyer, b. 22 Oct. 1963 b. 19 June 1973 b. 23 May 1962 in Dreiborn, Eifel; in Münster; in Schwarzberg. three children. unmarried. Bundestag Member Bundestag Member Bundestag Member since 2005 since 2009 since 2017

16 , AfD AfD spokesman Professor , Tobias Matthias Peterka, on the Committee AfD AfD Regional court judge, University lecturer, Lawyer, b. 10 Feb. 1962 b. 19 June 1944 b. 4 Sep. 1982 in ; in Wolfach; in Achern; married; two children. unmarried. unmarried. Bundestag Member Bundestag Member Bundestag Member since 2017 since 2017 since 2017

Roman Johannes Reusch, AfD AfD spokesman on legal affairs and Dr , consumer protection FDP Katrin Helling-Plahr, Chief senior public Lawyer, FDP prosecutor, b. 1 Aug. 1977 Lawyer, b. 3 Feb. 1954 in ; b. 2 Apr. 1986 in Düsseldorf; married. in Hagen; married; two children. Bundestag Member married; one child. Bundestag Member from 2009 to 2013 Bundestag Member since 2017 and since 2017 since 2017

17 Dr Jürgen Martens, Roman Müller-Böhm, , FDP FDP FDP FDP spokesman FDP spokesman FDP spokeswoman on on legal affairs on the Committee consumer protection Lawyer, Student, Lawyer, b. 3 Aug. 1959 b. 12 Dec. 1992 b. 19 Feb. 1987 in Munich; in Essen; in Düsseldorf; married; two children. unmarried. married. Bundestag Member Bundestag Member Bundestag Member since 2017 since 2017 since 2017

Niema Movassat, The Left Party Gökay Akbulut, , The Left Party spokes- The Left Party The Left Party man on the Committee Social scientist, Lawyer, Lawyer, LL.M., b. 6 Nov. 1982 b. 16 Jan. 1980 b. 22 Aug. 1984 in Pinarbasi, Turkey; in Hamburg; in ; unmarried. married. married; one child. Bundestag Member Bundestag Member Bundestag Member since 2017 since 2017 since 2009

18 , The Left Party The Left Party spokesman on legal affairs and consumer , protection Alliance 90/The Greens Social court judge, Lawyer, b. 5 Aug. 1961 b. 11 Feb. 1966 in ; in Malatya, Turkey; married; three children. unmarried; one child. Bundestag Member Bundestag Member since 2017 since 2017

Katja Keul, Alliance 90/The Greens Dr , Alliance 90/The Greens Alliance 90/The Greens spokeswoman on legal Alliance 90/The Greens affairs and consumer Tabea Rößner, spokeswoman protection Alliance 90/The Greens on the Committee Lawyer, Journalist, Lawyer, b. 30 Nov. 1969 b. 7 Dec. 1966 b. 9 May 1972 in Berlin; in Sassenberg; in Würzburg; married; three children. married; two children. divorced; one child. Bundestag Member Bundestag Member Bundestag Member since 2009 since 2009 since 2017

19 Information online

The Committee on Legal Affairs and Consumer Protection www.bundestag.de/en/committees/a06

The Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection www.bmjv.de/EN

20 Contact details for the Committee Secretariat

Deutscher Bundestag Ausschuss für Recht und Verbraucherschutz Platz der Republik 1 11011 Berlin Tel.: + 49 30 227-32430 Fax: + 49 30 227-36081 Email: [email protected]

21 Published by: German Bundestag, Public Relations Division Coordination: Robert Schönbrodt Texts: Georgia Rauer; revised by: Committees Directorate (p. 4 – 5), Secretariat of the Committee on Legal Affairs and Consumer Protection (p. 6 – 21) Edited by: Katharina Frier-Obad Translated by: Language Service of the German Bundestag, in cooperation with Emma Hardie Design: Marc Mendelson Bundestag eagle: Created by Professor Ludwig Gies, revised in 2008 by büro uebele Photos: p. 2 Deutscher Bundestag (DBT) / Linus Lintner Fotografie; p. 8–9, 10, 11 DBT / Marc-Steffen Unger; p. 23 DBT / studio kohlmeier Portrait photos: p. 3, 12 DBT / Achim Melde (Stephan Brandner); p. 12 DBT / Julia Nowak (Heribert Hirte); p. 13 Michael Frieser / Thomas Lother (Michael Frieser); Mechthild Heil / Jan Kopetzky (Mechthild Heil); DBT / Stella von Saldern (Ansgar Heveling); Alexander Hoffmann / Laurence Chaperon (Alexander Hoffmann); Wiesbaden county branch of the CDU / Tobias Koch (Ingmar Jung); Dr Jan-Marco Luczak / Yves Sucksdorff (Jan-Marco Luczak); p. 14; Jan Kopetzky (Axel Müller); Carsten Müller / Laurence Chaperon (Carsten Müller); / Jan Kopetzky (Patrick Sensburg); Sebastian Steineke / Jan Kopetzky (Sebastian Steineke); DBT / Julia Nowak (Volker Ullrich); Tobias Koch / (Nina Warken); p. 15 Ingo Wellenreuther / Jan Kopetzky (Ingo Wellenreuther); Elisabeth Winkelmeier-Becker / Tobias Koch (Elisabeth Winkelmeier-Becker); DBT / Thomas Trutschel / photothek (Karl-Heinz Brunner); DBT / Thomas Trutschel / photothek (Esther Dilcher); spdfraktion.de / Susie Knoll (Johannes Fechner); DBT / Inga Haar (Michael Groß); p. 16 DBT / Thomas Trutschel / photothek (Dirk Heidenblut); spdfraktion.de / Susie Knoll (Sarah Ryglewski); spdfraktion.de / Benno Kraehahn (Nina Scheer); spdfraktion.de / Susie Knoll (Marianne Schieder); spdfraktion.de / Christian Rödel (Sonja Amalie Steffen); DBT / Achim Melde (Fabian Jacobi); p. 17 DBT / Julia Nowak (Jens Maier); DBT / Julia Nowak (Lothar Maier); DBT / Julia Nowak (Tobias Matthias Peterka); Roman Johannes Reusch / Foto-Utech GmbH (Roman Johannes Reusch); Dr Marco Buschmann / Caitlin Hardee (Marco Buschmann); Katrin Helling-Plahr / Viktor Dücker (Katrin Helling-Plahr); p. 18 Jürgen Martens / H. Augsten Meerane (Jürgen Martens); Bernhardt Link - Farbtonwerk (Roman Müller-Böhm); Bernhardt Link (Katharina Willkomm); Gökay Akbu- lut / Thommy Mardo (Gökay Akbulut); Amira Mohamed Ali / Peter Duddek (Amira Mohamed Ali); The Left Party in the Bundestag (); p. 19 DBT / Stella von Saldern (Friedrich Straetmanns); Stefan Kaminiski (Canan Bayram); DBT / Thomas Köhler / photothek (); Kerstin Bänsch PHOTOdesign (Tabea Rößner); Manuela Rottmann / Björn Friedrich (Manuela Rottmann) Graphic: p. 7 Marc Mendelson Printed by: Druckhaus Waiblingen Remstal-Bote GmbH As at: December 2018 © Deutscher Bundestag, Berlin All rights reserved. This publication has been produced as part of the German Bundestag’s public relations activities. It is provided free of charge and is not intended for sale. It may not be used for election campaign purposes or utilised by parties or parliamentary groups in their own public relations activities. 23 The German Bundestag takes decisions on what are at times highly complex and controversial bills and parliamentary initiatives relating to the entire spectrum of policy fields. The committees play a central role in parliamentary deliberations. They are the forum where the Members thrash out compromises and draw on expert advice before submitting their reports and recommen­dations for decisions to be voted on by the Bundestag as a whole. www.bundestag.de/en/committees