In their March 2018 coalition agreement, the coalition partners
CDU, CSU and SPD have agreed to establish new rules on criminal
sanctions against companies and – for the first time –
legal requirements for internal investigations. The agreement
already sets out a clear framework and demonstrates a strong
political will to tighten the level of sanctions, introduce an
obligation to prosecute corporate crimes and create incentives for
compliance measures as well as for the assistance in the
clarification of criminal offences through internal investigations.
The former Federal Justice Minister, Katarina
Barley, declared the law reform to be a "priority
project". Following her election to the European Parliament,
her successor, Christine Lambrecht, made the draft
bill available to a small circle of experts in mid-August 2019 and
started the consultation process with the other ministries. The
legislative proposal is being discussed extensively in legal
practice and academia.
