Berlin – September 11, 2026 -- Germany's federal government has proposed a 2027 budget with total expenditures of €555 billion, including a record €118 billion in investment spending, as parliamentary budget deliberations began this week with the bill's first reading in the Bundestag.
Customs enforcement funding rises to €238.8 million to fight tax fraud
Investment spending for German customs authorities is set to increase by approximately €36 million to €238.8 million. The funds will finance digital forensic systems capable of extracting data from seized smartphones and hard drives in a court-admissible, serialized manner.
Special fund allocates €235 million for AI-driven investigations
An additional roughly €235 million from Germany's special fund will support the expansion of AI-assisted investigative work and automated, secure data exchange between customs authorities.
BaFin to host new EU-wide anti-money laundering coordination unit
Anti-money laundering enforcement will be strengthened through the creation of a Central Coordination Office for Money Laundering Supervision at Germany's financial regulator BaFin, harmonizing oversight across the European Union.
Budget rapporteur Kathrin Michel said Germany has underinvested for years and that the increased spending is already showing economic effects, with several institutes raising their growth forecasts for the country. She added that beyond spending, the government is focused on the revenue side and combating tax fraud, using additional customs resources to ensure all parties contribute their fair share to public finances.