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Copyright of Wirtschaft und Wettbewerb is the property of Fachmedien Otto Schmidt KG and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The GKV Spitzenverband opposes secret prices for pharmaceuticals as they increase costs without improving healthcare. Secret prices undermine the principle of cost-effectiveness and deprive doctors of price transparency. The German Bundestag is called upon to remove secret prices from the draft legislation. A survey shows that Germany's economic dependence on other world regions is increasing and doubts about the competitiveness of the German location exist. To secure the economic future, investments in research and development as well as diversification of supply security should be made. An international research team has gained new insights into the SARS coronavirus-2, particularly regarding the role of the serine protease TMPRSS2 in enhancing cell infection. These findings could contribute to the development of future treatment and prevention strategies. [Extracted from the article]

Criminal offenses committed by legal persons or associations of individuals can only be punished in Germany with a regulatory fine under the German Act on Regulatory Offenses (Gesetz über Ordnungswidrigkeiten; OWiG). As the current governing parties (2017–2021)—the CDU, the CSU and the SPD—did not deem this to be an appropriate response to corporate misconduct, the Act to Strengthen the Integrity in the Economy (Gesetz zur Stärkung der Integrität in der Wirtschaft) was set to introduce the Corporate Sanctions Act (Verbandssanktionengesetz; VerSanG), which would have provided a new framework for the punishment of unlawful corporate actions. This legislative project, however, collapsed in the summer of 2021 following years of work. After a brief introduction to the development of corporate criminal liability in Germany, this article outlines the current legal situation under the OWiG before presenting the development and the main contents of the Government Draft of the VerSanG. Subsequently, a more in-depth review of specific—particularly controversial—regulations is provided, which addresses and analyzes the criticism that has been voiced with regard to these provisions. Lastly, the failure of the draft bill, the prospective developments, and the continuing relevance of the Government Draft are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Germany, there is no exhaustive institutionalised process of scrutiny for parliament to ensure the quality of laws. Neither the members of parliament nor the parliamentary administration are tasked with this quality review. In fact, the German legislative procedure draws on a pluralistic concept of quality review: all organs and persons involved in legislation are called upon in order to ensure good legislative quality. This concept stresses the political reality of the principle of democracy, rather than the legal rationality resulting from the rule of law, and therefore accepts inferior laws based on democratic legitimacy rather than good laws that in turn do not rely upon the expertise of democratically non-legitimated committees. An equilibrium between these poles can only be found in time: after all, laws are amendable, thus adaptive and improvable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the draft bill of a "Law to Strengthen Integrity in Business" (Gesetz zur Starkung der Integritdt in der Wirtschaft), the key part of which is the Act on Sanctions for Associations (Verbandssanktionengesetz--VerSanG), the German legislator took the next step in establishing a corporate crime regime in Germany. It introduces a modernised sanctions catalogue and brings various procedural changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of FinanzRundschau is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of FinanzRundschau is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This week Switzerland opens consultation on draft legislation to implement the OECD's global minimum tax rate, while Germany cuts VAT amid the highest inflation rate in decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following article aims to analyze the first German draft bill concerning a corporate criminal code. The draft bill, recently introduced by the federal state of Nordrhein- Westfalen, led to a transformation of a theoretical academic discussion towards a specific proposal on potential future legislation. Firstly, the article introduces underlying reasons for the draft based on deficiencies of the current legislation. Current regulations solely provide corporate administrative responsibility for criminal offenses committed by a corporation's management (involving huge fines). Subsequently, the article reviews the content of the draft, specifically the multiplicity of proposed criminal and other penalties. The authors intend to demonstrate that the draft is often too vague or--especially with regard to penalties--simply over the top. The applicable sanctions - which may be combined- would lead to a more draconic punishment than in any other comparable legal system. Furthermore, regarding the principles of due process and strict legality the proposed procedural rules of the draft are not satisfying. After all, the proposed procedural measures to safeguard the proceedings and the rules on representation and defense counsel are deficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the drafting of the German Environmental Code, which is considered as the best-prepared legislative project in Germany, to consolidate, streamline and harmonise existing law into a single code that ensures clarity, simplicity and transparency. It explores previous attempts to codify German environment laws as well as the objectives of the codification of the 2009 codes. Also mentioned are the obstacles that hinder consistency and the adjustments needed for the statutes.

Copyright of Zeitschrift für Politikwissenschaft is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper presents a framework for guiding policy-makers intervening in emerging innovation systems in ‘catching-up’ countries. The process whereby the central policy issues are identified rests on the notion that there are seven key processes, or ‘functions’, involved in the formation of such systems and that these processes can be empirically studied. A ‘functional approach’ is argued to be helpful in finding ‘system weaknesses’ that can act as focusing mechanisms for policy-makers. An illustrative case from Germany is followed by an analysis of emerging innovation systems in catching-up countries, in particular Brazil, Korea and Chile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the "Unfallversicherungs-Neuregelungsgesetz" (UVNG; Revised Law for Accident Insurance) and the "Knappschaftsrentenversicherung-Neuregelungsgesetz" (KnVNG; Revised Law for Miners' Pension Insurance) as part of social policy reform in Germany. Specific revisions pertaining to pensions for widows and orphans are presented.

The article presents the second part of a draft of a law for the reorganization of miners' pensions and retirement insurance as proposed by the Christlich Demokratische Union (CDU; Christian Democratic Union of Germany) and its sister party, the Christlich Soziale Union (CSU; Christian Social Union of Bavaria). Details pertaining to pensions for miners are presented.

The article presents a draft proposed by the "Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands" (SPD; Social Democratic Party of Germany) regarding pension insurance law for laborers and employees in Germany. The draft was sent by the SPD to the Federal Council ("Bundesrat") on April 18, 1956 for consideration and ratification of the proposed articles.

The article presents a draft proposed by the German Federal Government ("Bundesregierung") regarding pension insurance law for laborers and employees in Germany. The draft was sent by the government to the Federal Council ("Bundesrat") on May 23, 1956 for consideration and ratification of the proposed articles.

The article presents the third part of a draft of a law for the reorganization of miners' pensions and retirement insurance as proposed by the Christlich Demokratische Union (CDU; Christian Democratic Union of Germany) and its sister party, the Christlich Soziale Union (CSU; Christian Social Union of Bavaria). Details pertaining to pensions for miners are presented.

The article presents the draft of a law for the reorganization of miners' pensions and retirement insurance as proposed by the Christlich Demokratische Union (CDU; Christian Democratic Union of Germany) and its sister party the Christlich Soziale Union (CSU; Christian Social Union of Bavaria). Details pertaining to pensions for miners are presented.

The article discusses proposals for library legislation in Thüringen, Germany on May 29, 2008. The library association Deutsche Bibliotheksverband criticized the proposals' lack of suggestions for further educational development in libraries, reasoning that legislation in Thüringen must be innovative enough to serve as a model for other German libraries. Requests by the Deutsche Bibliotheksverband about duties that should be included in revised proposals are given.

The article presents the fourth part of a draft of a law for the reorganization of miners' pensions and retirement insurance as proposed by the Christlich Demokratische Union (CDU; Christian Democratic Union of Germany) and its sister party, the Christlich Soziale Union (CSU; Christian Social Union of Bavaria). Details pertaining to pensions for miners are presented.

The article discusses the bill drafted by the finance ministry in Germany to amend the transfer pricing provision of the Foreign Tax Act. It says that the bill primarily aims to extend the pricing requirement to transactions between partnerships and partners and between permanent establishments. According to the author, capitalization, supervisory and solvency provisions play a key role in the decision to act through a branch. The explanatory decree that was promised once the bill has been enacted is also discussed.

The article discusses library laws and legislation drafted in Thuringia, Germany on April 2, 2008 by the "Christlich Demokratische Union Deutschlands" (CDU; Christian Democratic Union) as well as library law development in North Rhine Westphalia. Both law drafts pertain to a German government focus on increasing awareness and accessibility of culture in Germany.

The article presents an editor's note announcing the draft of a law pertaining to the reorganization of miners' pensions and retirement assistance. The draft was created by the German Federal Minister for Labor and consists of three articles. Goals of the new law are to protect miners with regard to the specific dangers and constraints of mining.