Schleswig-Holstein: State parliament debates railway construction and reduction in bureaucracy!

Schleswig-Holstein: State parliament debates railway construction and reduction in bureaucracy!

A lot is happening in Schleswig-Holstein: At its meeting today, the state parliament dealt with a topic that concerns many citizens - the rail infrastructure. The CDU and the Greens have submitted an application to speed up planning and approval procedures at the federal government. The reason for this initiative is obvious: the ongoing criticism of the bureaucracy, which is a key reason for the poor condition of the rails. This is reported by NDR.

The meeting coincided with the setting up of food stalls for Kiel Week, which brings a festive flair to the Landeshaus. The MPs were also able to enjoy a view of the keel line, where preparations for the maritime event are already in full swing. Meanwhile, exciting maritime topics will be discussed at the “Kiel Security Conference” with high-profile guests, including the Foreign Minister.

New draft law for transport projects

The state government is planning to comprehensively accelerate planning and approval processes, especially in the transport sector. A new draft law proposes to introduce adjustments to road and right-of-way regulations as well as environmental impact assessments. In September 2023, Economics Minister Claus Ruhe Madsen (CDU) outlined the different ways in which infrastructure projects can be implemented more quickly. 18 federal and state laws should be changed to pave the way for modernizations in energy supply, coastal protection and rail infrastructure, according to State Parliament.

The digitalized approval procedures that are being sought are particularly interesting. Digital solutions could help to further reduce bureaucracy and issue approvals more quickly. A report on identified potential for acceleration was published in October 2023.

Criticism and demands

Despite these comprehensive plans, there are also clear voices of criticism. The SSW has called on the state government to launch a Federal Council initiative for legal planning based on the Danish model. This is intended to ensure that proceedings proceed more quickly and that subsequent legal proceedings are excluded. An example is the planning of the Fehmarnbelt crossing, which was implemented in Denmark without legal dispute, while the German plan approval decision was delayed by tens of thousands of objections.

The FDP is also calling for rapid implementation of the “Pact for Planning, Approval and Implementation Acceleration”, which was entered into in November 2023. If the pact is actually implemented, construction projects such as wind turbines, power lines or even cell phone masts could be realized much more quickly in the future. The goal is clear: bureaucratic hurdles should be reduced, with a total of around 100 individual regulations in this package. A comprehensive plan that also takes into account the digitalization of procedures is required to get Schleswig-Holstein on the right path, as the IHK reports.

The debate about the progress and challenges of the planning and approval procedures will remain exciting in the coming days. MEPs are faced with the challenge of finding a balance between the needs of citizens and the requirements of modern infrastructure. An exciting time for Schleswig-Holstein!