Evaluation of Acts to Accelerate Planning Procedures

In view of the continuing public criticism regarding the duration of planning and approval procedures, the legislator has, in recent years, adopted numerous measures to simplify planning law and to render procedures more efficient. In particular, the Federal Ministry of Transport (BMV) has continuously undertaken initiatives to optimize and expedite planning and approval procedures in the transport sector. Since 2018, several federal acts aimed at accelerating planning and approval procedures in the transport sector have entered into force.

Within the framework of a joint evaluation, the extent to which the objectives have been achieved and the effectiveness of three acts are to be assessed, in particular with regard to the objective of expediting planning and approval procedures in the transport sector. With respect to a fourth act, a concept is to be developed for a subsequent evaluation of its statutory provisions. The BMV has commissioned the National Institute for Public Administration (NIPAG) to carry out the evaluation project.

As the individual acts to be evaluated have been in force for several years, the evaluation project has been designed as a retrospective regulatory impact assessment. The extent of objective attainment and the effectiveness of the acts are to be determined through both quantitative and qualitative analyses. The NIPAG is to submit its report to the BMV by the end of July 2026.