I. MACROECONOMIC CONTEXT 1 National Reform Programme 2021 bmwi.de Imprint Publisher Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) Public Relations 11019 Berlin www.bmwi.de Status March 2021 This publication is available for download only. Design PRpetuum GmbH, 80801 Munich Central ordering service for publications of the Federal Government: Email: [email protected] Tel.: +49 30 182722721 Fax: +49 30 18102722721 This publication is issued by the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy as part of its public relations work. The publication is distributed free of charge and is not intended for sale. It may not be used by political parties or by election campaigners or election assistants during an election campaign for the purpose of election advertising. This applies to elections to the Bundestag, the Landtag and local elections as well as to elections to European Parliament. 1 Contents Introduction .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 I. Macroeconomic context .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 II. Actions to tackle primary macroeconomic challenges ....................................................................................................................................................................................................10 A. Fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, boosting the economy, ensuring debt sustainability, strengthening the health system ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................13 Tackling the COVID-19 pandemic .......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................13 Supporting the economy during the crisis, promoting the recovery ..........................................................................................................................................15 Supporting the economic revival ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................22 Mitigating income losses, strengthening the labour market in the face of the pandemic .............................23 Ensuring debt sustainability and strengthening investment ...................................................................................................................................................................................26 Strengthening the health industry for the long term ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................29 B. Investment in climate action and the digital transformation ...........................................................................................................................................................................30 Contributing to macroeconomic stability through investment ..................................................................................................................................................................31 Bringing forward, accelerating and stabilising investments ......................................................................................................................................................................................31 Supporting regions undergoing structural change, providing incentives for forward-looking investments................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................31 Increasing the supply of affordable housing, facilitating the purchase of property ............................................................34 Stabilising investment in sustainable transport, shaping mobility of the future ..............................................................................36 Driving investment in the digital infrastructure, tapping digitalisation potential in the business sector, administration and the energy transition ...........................................................................................................................................................38 Shaping digitalisation strategically, supporting SMEs in the digital transformation ......................................................38 Rapid roll-out of fixed line broadband and mobile communications .....................................................................................................................................40 Taking advantage of digitalisation for the energy transition ...................................................................................................................................................................................41 Investing in clean, efficient and integrated energy systems ....................................................................................................................................................................................42 Continuing to expand renewable energy .....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................43 Accelerating the expansion of the grid ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................45 Leveraging the potential of energy efficiency and renewable heat ................................................................................................................................................46 Developing hydrogen as an energy carrier ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................47 Seizing the opportunities offered by the energy transition for industrial policy ...........................................................................48 Boosting investment in education, research and innovation .................................................................................................................................................................................50 Improving the infrastructure and quality of education in child day-care facilities and schools, enabling digital learning opportunities .........................................................................................................................................................................................................................51 Establishing a framework for more research, development and innovation ..................................................................................................51 C. Improving conditions for competition, designing a fair tax environment conducive to growth, reducing bureaucracy ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................54 Improving conditions of competition ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................54 Ensuring fair competition in the digital world ...........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................54