Head of Directorate-General:
Claus Dieter Koggel
The Parliamentary Directorate-General is made up of the following Divisions:
Division P 1 - Parliamentary Service, Parliamentary Law
The Parliamentary Service and Parliamentary Law Division could be described as the plenary session’s bureau. Its work mainly involves preparing, running and follow-up of the plenary sessions in accordance with the Rules of Procedure.
This encompasses, for example, receiving draft legislation and motions, preparing the allocation of the bills to the various committees, commissioning printing of meeting documents, compiling bills ripe for discussion for the agenda and supporting the president by providing meeting services.
The Parliamentary Service’s role as coordinator means that it must maintain close contacts with all the bodies that play a part in the legislative process. This means that it is always in touch with the federal states’ representatives to the Federation. At the same time, the Parliamentary Service also acts as a link to the other constitutional bodies. In particular, it communicates with the Bundestag and the Federal Government on an on-going basis to ensure that the constitutionally enshrined deadlines in the legislative process are respected.
The Parliamentary Service is also responsible for certain matters pertaining to the Presidium and the Permanent Advisory Council, as well as general issues concerning Bundesrat Members. It also deals with publication of the Bundesrat Manual.
The Parliamentary Law Division handles general questions pertaining to the Bundesrat's structure in the constitutional context and its legal position within the legislative process. One particular focus here is this Division’s remit to deal with the provisions in the Bundesrat's Rules of Procedure.
Head of Division:
Monika Rumpe
Division P 2 - Parliamentary Relations, Language Service
This Division’s role encompasses fostering relations between the Bundesrat and parliaments in Germany and abroad, as well as with interparliamentary organisations; it is also in charge of the Language Service.
The Division’s remit includes dealing with preparations when the Bundesrat President or Bundesrat Members participate in interparliamentary/international conferences. Important decisions on policy orientations in European and international politics are often taken at such conferences, which are becoming ever more significant as a result of increasing globalisation. This Division cultivates the Bundesrat’s relations with parliaments all over the world and provides advisory support to other parliaments, particularly in recently democratised countries.
The Language Service is responsible for all the translations that the Bundesrat needs, for example correspondence with other countries or the English and French versions of the Bundesrat website. The Language Service organises professional interpretation when the President or Bundesrat Members travel abroad, as well as for visits to the Bundesrat by delegations from abroad and for international conferences hosted by the Bundesrat.
Head of Division:
Sandra Michel
Division P 3 - Presidium Office, Protocol
This Division deals with matters pertaining to the President and Vice-Presidents of the Bundesrat.
The Presidium Office handles all public appearances and other appointments of the Bundesrat President, both in Germany and abroad. This includes preparatory work for official visits abroad by the Bundesrat President, and also involves preparing the programme for official visits to the Federal Republic of Germany by international guests at the invitation of the Bundesrat President. In addition, the Presidium Office also handles the Permanent Advisory Council’s official trips abroad.
The Presidium Office takes the lead in social events hosted by the Bundesrat President. In addition it deals with protocol issues concerning the Bundesrat, its President and the Bundesrat Members, including protocol-related matters at events to which the Bundesrat Presidium is invited.
It is also the contact point within the Bundesrat’s Secretariat when the Bundesrat President is acting in her capacity as a representative of the Federal President.
Head of Division:
Katrin Freisberg
Division P 4 - Press and Communication
This Division’s main responsibility is communication with the general public. It is the contact point for the media and members of the public, and is also responsible for the Bundesrat’s online services as well as handling communications sent to the President of the Bundesrat.
The Press Office is first and foremost responsible for providing information about parliamentary activities. As well as informing journalists, representatives from associations and the general public about the state-of-play on current draft legislation, the Press Office produces readily comprehensible overviews of important decisions taken by the Bundesrat, which are published in the BundesratKOMPAKT section of the website, and is also in charge of general information explaining the Bundesrat’s work. In addition, it reports on the Bundesrat President’s official trips and appointments.
The Bundesrat’s website, Twitter feed, the Bundesrat App and other online services such as Instagram and YouTube as well as the e-mail service play a key part in communicating information. The Online Editorial team and the Press Office create and update editorial content for these media, as well as focusing on further development of these information channels. The Online Editorial Team also coordinates the Bundesrat’s in-house Intranet.
The Petitions Unit responds to the numerous letters and emails sent to the Bundesrat by members of the public and interest groups that contact the Bundesrat and the Bundesrat President with ideas and proposals on specific draft legislation or with more general comments.
Head of Division:
Peter Wilke
Division P 5 – Visitor Service, Events, Public Relations
This Division attends to the needs of visitors to the Bundesrat in Berlin and presents various information services for the general public.
More than 70,000 people visit the Bundesrat in Berlin each year. The Visitor Service makes a broad range of formats available to help visitors find out more about the Bundesrat’s work, as well as offering them an opportunity to observe a plenary session from the visitors’ gallery. School pupils can take part in a role-playing game on the legislative process on the spot in Berlin or attend a virtual web seminar on the Bundesrat’s work. In addition, the Division is responsible for welcoming foreign delegations to the Bundesrat.
Division P 5 organises events such as the Open Day and the Bundesrat’s presentation at the public festivities marking the Day of German Unity.
Classic public relations products such as information brochures and give-aways add the finishing touch to this Division’s range of activities.
Head of Division:
Michael Reinold