The traffic light plans to replace the heating remain controversial. The Federal Council also has numerous change requests. One committee would like more time for East Germans in particular.
Berlin – The building energy law of the traffic light coalition continues to heat up tempers. On Friday (May 12) the law has to go through the Federal Council, in preparation for which the Changes requested by the countries through. There are many points that the ministers addressed in the committees. But in a committee, the one for housing, there are very far-reaching ideas with regard to the owners in the new federal states. The CDU-led committee demands: Extended deadlines for East Germans.
Owners in East Germany own less property
The main objections are as follows. In the current GEG and in the planned amendment, there is a special rule for owners who used their property before or on February 1, 2002. These people are not affected by the obligation to replace the heating system. However, as soon as the residential building changes hands, the owner may have to look for a new heating system that complies with the new rules.
From the point of view of the environmental committee, the law primarily disadvantages East Germans. “In East Germany, the formation of private home ownership on a large scale only started after this point in time [nach 2002, Anm. d. Red.] can take place because the formation of sufficient equity capital was often only possible after the reunification,” says the committee. “In addition, in many communities, the start-up processes after 1990, such as unsettled ownership conditions, led to considerable delays before construction could even take place and residential property could be created.”
In fact, the ownership rate in East Germany is lower than in the West. In 2018, 36.4 percent had their own property in the new federal states, compared to 44.9 percent in the west. Between 1993 and 2003, the ownership rate in the East rose from 18.9 percent to 33.7 percent.
In order to compensate for these unequal conditions, the federal states are proposing a “transitional regulation” of ten years, at least for the East. In concrete terms, this means: In East Germany, owners who used their property themselves on or before February 1, 2012 should be exempt from heating exchange. The replacement obligation would only affect people who bought or inherited the building after 2012.
Ministry confirms proposal – but it could also apply to all of Germany
Across from Ippen.Media the Brandenburg Ministry for Infrastructure and State Planning confirmed the idea from the committee. The CDU Minister Guido Beermann from Brandenburg is chairman of the housing committee in the Bundesrat. At the same time, however, the ministry made it clear that “this regulation should not only apply to the eastern German states.” Only the special circumstances in the east were pointed out. However, the federal states’ proposal states that this regulation should apply “at least to eastern Germany”.
On Friday (May 12), the Federal Council will discuss the GEG and possibly negotiate changes with the government. The proposed changes also include the exceptions for East German owners.