Transparency of the Regulatory System
Germany has transparent and effective laws and policies to promote competition, including anti-
trust laws. The legal, regulatory and accounting systems can be complex but are transparent and
consistent with international norms.
Formally, the public consultation by the federal government is regulated by the Joint Rules of
Procedure, which specify that ministries must consult early and extensively with a range of
stakeholders on all new legislative proposals. In practice, laws and regulations in Germany are
routinely published in draft, and public comments are solicited. According to the Joint
Procedural Rules, ministries should consult the concerned industries’ associations (rather than
single companies), consumer organizations, environmental and other NGOs. Consultation takes
between two to eight weeks.
The German Institute for Standardization (DIN) is open for foreign members.
EU Forecast
euf:ba18a:174/nws-01