Germany has announced an initiative to ramp up domestic data centre infrastructure with the goal of at least doubling capacity and expanding AI data processing capability by a factor of four by 2030, the federal government said on Tuesday.
Digital minister Karsten Wildberger put forward a package of measures designed to accelerate delivery of new facilities. Among the proposals is a move to set aside land specifically for data centre development. Ministers were due to consider and approve the plan on Wednesday.
The reforms include a change in how municipal business tax revenues are allocated: under the proposal, those taxes would be paid to the town or city that secures a new data centre project rather than to the corporate headquarters of the operator. Officials also plan to shorten regulatory review timelines and to promote closer collaboration between participants in the AI supply chain.
According to a document from the digital ministry, the government expressed openness to investment from third countries while indicating that its primary focus for attracting capital is on European and German companies.
Major international technology companies such as Amazon, Microsoft and Google are already among the largest investors in Germany's data infrastructure. Domestic contributors include Deutsche Telekom and the privately held Schwarz Group.
Industry figures cited by German lobby group Bitkom show that AI data centres in Germany had a combined capacity of 530 MW at the end of last year, with a substantial portion of that capacity operated by non-German providers.
The announcement comes amid broader European efforts to increase sovereign control over AI infrastructure, driven by developments such as rising tariffs, armed conflicts and markedly divergent rules on online content across jurisdictions.
Context and implications
The package is framed as an attempt to help Germany close the gap with the United States and China on data centre and AI infrastructure. Measures that reassign municipal tax receipts and speed permitting processes are intended to make localities more competitive in securing projects and to reduce lead times for new buildouts. Encouraging collaboration across AI supply chains aims to strengthen regional capabilities while the government prioritizes investment from European and German entities.