Coordinating and shaping European policy

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First, the Economics Ministry ensures that the Federal Government speaks with one voice when dealing with the various EU institutions in Brussels. Second, it makes sure that the Bundestag and the Bundesrat receive timely and comprehensive information on EU projects and initiatives, so that they can make use of their right to influence EU policy, which is guaranteed to them by the German Constitution.

Within the Federal Government, this mediation between Berlin and Brussels is the responsibility of two Ministries - the Economics Ministry and the Foreign Office - which divide up the government's EU policy tasks. Thus apart from its "own" economic policy issues - such as the EU Single Market, competition law, industrial policy, external economic policy and the Lisbon Strategy - the Economics Ministry also coordinates the Federal Government's positions on other classic or more technical working areas of the EU, such as the Common Agricultural Policy and environmental policy. The Foreign Office handles a number of policy areas that have gained increasing public attention in recent years, such as the Common Foreign and Security Policy and justice and home affairs policy.

The Economics Ministry is also where the Federal Government's competence centre for European law is located, which provides advisory services to the Federal and Länder governments on questions of European law and ensures the uniform representation of Germany in the various European Courts.