500 billion euros for infrastructure: Brandenburg's chambers of industry and commerce call for targeted investment coupled with a reduction in bureaucracy

The SME sector in the state of Brandenburg welcomes the upcoming federal government's plans for a 500 billion euro investment package to modernize infrastructure, which will be voted on in the German Bundestag next Tuesday. At the same time, Brandenburg's chambers of industry and commerce are warning against the misuse of the funds and are calling for a consistent focus on investment projects.

"This unique investment package offers a historic opportunity to finally strengthen our state and our economy in the long term. However, it must not be thwarted by party political interests or excessive bureaucracy." This is what Potsdam's IHK President Ina Hänsel, Chairwoman of the State Working Group of Brandenburg's IHKs, said. "From bridges to broadband, from energy to skilled workers - it is important that there is also a lot of catching up to do before completely new projects are launched."

In addition to their positions on the recent state and federal elections, the CCIs refer to a list* of very specific projects in the state of Brandenburg.

In order to prevent rising government spending from becoming a stumbling block, flanking measures are needed to reduce bureaucracy, speed up the process and make it more effective. Planning and approval procedures must be fundamentally reformed, as was the case with the "Aufbau Ost" program in the 1990s, procurement practices must be simplified and excessive standards must be adjusted. Only in this way can public funds be used quickly and in a targeted manner to overcome structural problems in the federal government.

This is why SMEs are calling for the funds to be used for specific purposes.

"We need sustainable investment in the future viability of the country, not short-term political measures at the expense of future generations," emphasized Ina Hänsel.

The Brandenburg CCIs are appealing to those responsible not to squander this historic opportunity.

Measures and tasks that should be taken or solved in the interests of Brandenburg's economy in connection with the 500 billion euro investment package to modernize the infrastructure.

Expand and modernize infrastructure

• Transport: Binding funding commitments for the expansion and renovation of roads, bridges and railroads (B87, B96, B97, B169, B198, A11, A12, A13, A14 gap closure, Schönefelder Kreuz). Relief of cross-border traffic on the A12 and new construction of the Schwedt border crossing as well as connection of Lusatia to Eastern Europe in the interests of Germany and Europe as a whole. Urgent strengthening of rail transport (concretization of projects i2030, i2045, Anhalter Bahn, Ostbahn). Accelerate the Lusatian rail and road projects defined and confirmed in the Structural Change Act with personnel planning capacity.
• Water: Expand waterways such as the Havel-Oder waterway, ensure navigability of the Oder and upgrade lock infrastructure (e.g. in Fürstenwalde, Kleinmachnow); water and wastewater infrastructure should also be included against the backdrop of climate change: Funding for investments to secure drinking water and wastewater supplies as well as to compensate for water volumes (e.g. from opencast lignite mines) and to protect critical infrastructure
• E-charging infrastructure: Charging infrastructure overall and rapid expansion of the truck fast-charging network along freeways are essential for sustainable freight transport.

Strengthen digital transformation and cyber security

• Network expansion: Accelerate fiber optic expansion and push 5G networks. Wired and radio-based technologies must be considered holistically and approval processes must be digitalized.
• Cybersecurity and technological sovereignty: Effective IT security architecture, sufficient equipment for the authorities and targeted promotion of key digital technologies (AI, quantum computing, microelectronics) are essential to overcome structural deficits and also to open up international future markets.

Driving forward the energy and heating transition

• Renewable energies and hydrogen: The market ramp-up of hydrogen, expansion of renewable energies and efficient electricity and gas grids enable companies to actively participate in the energy transition.
• Storage and infrastructure: Use flexibility, expand energy storage in all areas, provide a hydrogen core network for northern and western Brandenburg as well.

Skilled workers, education and housing

• Training and further education: Investments in schools, vocational schools and universities (e.g. in digitalization and maintaining all vocational school locations). The aim must be to improve knowledge transfer and enhance the image of dual training. Training-friendly framework conditions (e.g. trainee ticket, trainee housing) will secure the next generation of skilled workers. Vocational and academic education as well as entrepreneurship must be equally represented in vocational orientation.
• Tapping existing potential: Consistent training and labour market integration, through recognition of informal skills, implementation of partial qualifications relevant to the labour market, promotion of further vocational training and individualization of career advancement qualifications.
• Labour and skilled worker immigration: Effective support for recruitment and integration through, among other things accelerated procedures, flexible language support, coordinated support structures and a welcoming culture with a clear democratic attitude in order to strengthen competitiveness.
• Housing: Accelerated approval procedures and subsidies for affordable housing secure the demand for skilled workers, especially in growing regions (Potsdam, Berlin area) and provide economic impetus for the construction industry; excessive requirements for building and environmental standards should be reduced without jeopardizing climate protection.

Strengthen Brandenburg as an industrial location

• Innovation projects and technology: Implementation of the industrial strategy and the declarations on the industry conference in March 2025, expansion of industrial provision sites (e.g. Seddin freight station, LOS Ost industrial area near Eisenhüttenstadt) and more investment in real laboratories, pilot factories and experimental clauses.
• Approval procedures: Environmental and association action rights should be changed so that approvals and investments are not blocked for years.
• Innovative settlement and development projects: Clear commitment to the roadmap for structural change in Lusatia and the Net Zero Valley model region.