Transport policy: Court of Auditors warns of risks worth billions from motorway loans

In the future, Autobahn GmbH could take out its own loans to finance road construction. This will undermine the federal government's debt brake, warns the Federal Audit Office.

Berlin. The Federal Audit Office urgently warns the federal government not to allow the federally owned Autobahn GmbH to take out its own loans. The planned reform will not bring any additional money for road construction in the long term, but will cause additional costs, according to a report to the Bundestag's budget committee available to the Reuters news agency on Tuesday.

The draft law does not ensure stable financing and is not ready for a decision. “The Federal Audit Office urgently advises against granting Autobahn GmbH the right to raise outside capital,” the report says.

The federal government wants to allow the company to take out loans independently for investments. To this end, part of the truck toll revenue will flow directly to it in the future. However, the auditors criticize numerous points. The economic viability has not been proven and the debt brake anchored in the Basic Law will be further weakened by the shifting of debts to Autobahn GmbH.

In addition, according to BRH, Autobahn GmbH has to expect higher interest rates on its loans than the federal government, which makes financing more expensive. The auditors also warn of negative effects on public budgets as a result of Autobahn GmbH's sales tax liability. As a result, public budgets are threatened with a loss of revenue of almost one billion euros in 2028 alone.