German Bundestag - Committees

A view of one of the committee rooms

Functions and responsibilities of the committees

Each electoral term, the Bundestag’s permanent committees are established anew, with new names and a different composition. The Bundestag does not have a completely free hand when setting up the committees, since some are enshrined in the German constitution, the Basic Law, and others are provided for by statute. These committees include the Petitions Committee and the Defence Committee.

However, most permanent committees at the Bundestag are set up to mirror the division of responsibilities wit...

The Budget Committee deliberates on how much the Federation is to spend, and what this amount is spent on.

Budget

A field of sunflowers is shown in front of a coal-fired power plant.

The Committee is responsible for the energy transition, among other topics.

Climate Action and Energy

A pile of books topped by an open book is shown in front of the shelves of a large library.

The Committee on Cultural and Media Affairs aims for cultural and media diversity through its work.

Cultural and Media Affairs

Sailors observe one of the German Navy’s fast patrol boats.

The Committee’s responsibilities include parliamentary scrutiny of the Ministry of Defence.

Defence

A robot points to the German word Digitalisierung (English: digitalisation) on a chalkboard.

The Committee on Digital Affairs is dedicated to topical Internet policy issues.

Digital Affairs

Collage of windmills, solar panels and stock exchange charts

The Committee deals with the European internal market, foreign trade and global competition, among other aspects.

Economic Affairs

A woman examines corn while working in a field.

The Committee deals with global economic cooperation, among other topics.

Economic Cooperation and Development

A worker operates equipment used in the manufacture of semiconductors.

Education and research are vital to innovation in the business sphere and across society.

Education, Research and Technology Assessment

Wild flowers bloom at the edge of a field

The Committee on the Environment deals with matters that involve the preservation of our natural resources.

Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety, Consumer Protection

EU flags displayed on a conference table.

The Committee on the Affairs of the European Union is enshrined in the Basic Law.

European Union Affairs

The Committee deals with a wide variety of topics with social-policy relevance.

Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth

The Finance Committee is not responsible for the federal budget.

Finance

A combine harvester and a tractor at work harvesting a cornfield.

The Committee has a broad remit within the fields of food and agriculture.

Food and Agriculture

People climb stairs to board an aeroplane.

The Committee on Foreign Affairs oversees the government’s foreign policy.

Foreign Affairs

Care workers hold a meeting in a hospital corridor.

Health policy focuses on patients.

Health

Modern apartment blocks are shown behind a playground.

One of the Committee’s areas of interest is federal urban development assistance programmes.

Housing, Urban Development, Building and Local Government

A woman holds up a booklet of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid aims to protect, assist and take preventative action.

Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid

Federal Police Officer badge; another officer sits at a desk in the background.

The Committee on Internal Affairs and Community deals with a wide range of policy issues.

Internal Affairs and Community

People working around a table in a co-working space.

The world of work is undergoing constant change, shaped by trade unions, employers and policymakers.

Labour and Social Affairs

Scales against a background of the legal paragraph symbol.

The Committee on Legal Affairs discusses diverse topics that affect everyone, and helps to draw up basic rules for coexistence in society.

Legal Affairs

Collage: The facades of the buildings of the Bundestag and the Bundesrat merge together.

The role of the Committee is to seek consensus between the Bundestag and the Bundesrat.

Mediation

The Petitions Committee submits an annual report.

Petitions

The Committee’s roles include acting as a referee during conflicts in the plenary and the committees.

Scrutiny of Elections, Immunity and the Rules of Procedure

The Committee deals with the social significance of sport for areas of life such as education, health, integration and the economy.

Sports

Tourists walk along a dyke on the North Sea coast on an overcast day.

The Committee on Tourism works to create a favourable environment for the tourism sector.

Tourism

The work of the Committee on Transport affects everyone, as millions of people travel around Germany every day.

Transport

Committees