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🇩🇪 Germany /Conflict & Security

After arson attack, Germany considers giving private operators more drone-defense powers

From Die Zeit · () German

Translated from German and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire From a news agency New plan
  • Germany is reviewing legal changes that could allow private operators of critical infrastructure to detect and counter unauthorized drones.
  • The discussions follow sabotage incidents, including an attempted arson attack against an armaments company in Munich and incidents affecting electricity supplies.
  • A regulation defining which facilities qualify as critical infrastructure has not yet taken effect, delaying registration and mandatory protective measures.

Germany is considering whether private operators should be allowed to do more to protect their facilities from drones, following a series of sabotage incidents targeting companies and critical infrastructure.

The federal government is consulting with the states on new powers for drone defense and other protective measures. A spokeswoman for the Federal Interior Ministry said effective protection required complex legal decisions because Germany’s federal and state authorities have different responsibilities.

For effective protection of vulnerable facilities and companies from the threat posed by drones, complex legal questions must be clarified while observing the state monopoly on the use of force.

· Federal Interior Ministry spokeswomanThe spokeswoman described the legal issues behind proposed changes to drone-defense powers.

The discussions cover the legal framework for detecting and countering drones. They also seek to clarify which actions must remain reserved for government authorities and which operators of critical infrastructure or other security-sensitive facilities could carry out themselves, or with outside help, in a practical and legally secure way.

Officials are also examining how to distinguish unauthorized drones more quickly from those operating lawfully. Critical infrastructure includes facilities whose disruption could cause serious problems for the community, such as energy suppliers, telecommunications companies, transport operators and healthcare institutions.

Practical and legally secure

· Federal Interior Ministry spokeswomanShe used the phrase to describe actions that private critical-infrastructure operators might be permitted to take.

The law strengthening the physical resilience of critical facilities took effect on March 17. However, the regulation identifying which facilities fall under the law has not yet been issued. Until it comes into force, affected operators do not have to register with the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance or implement the specified protective measures.

The Interior Ministry, led by Alexander Dobrindt of the CSU, said it was working intensively on the regulation and wanted it to take effect as soon as possible. Several German states have reported sabotage cases targeting electricity supplies in recent weeks, while the domestic intelligence service has urged armaments companies to strengthen their security.

With great urgency

· Federal Interior MinistryThe ministry used this wording to describe its work on the regulation defining critical facilities.
About this summary

Originally published by Die Zeit in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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