(Berlin / Germany) – According to the Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs (BMDV), the Internal Audit Unit has completed its investigations into potential irregularities in hydrogen funding practices. The investigations focused on hydrogen projects launched in 2021 (before the current federal government took office).
The first final report had already been submitted in December 2023. This came to the conclusion "that no impermissible influence was found in the approval procedures examined," according to the BMDV. However, further emails were made public in February 2024 that were not available to the internal audit at the time and therefore could not be included in the first final report.
The investigation was then resumed. According to the BMDV, the internal audit department then found "significant inconsistencies and contradictions". There were "significant doubts" as to whether all of the findings of the final report from December regarding the allegation of undue influence and violation of official duties could be upheld.
Evidence of breach of duty
As a result of the further investigations, two findings were reached “essentially”: Firstly, there are now “actual indications of a breach of official duties” by two BMDV employees.
There is "suspicion" that they had, among other things, "violated the impartial conduct of office, the duty of loyalty and the duty to provide information and tell the truth". Disciplinary proceedings have been "initiated". Those affected now have the opportunity to comment on the allegations".
influence on approval
On the other hand, during the audit of five grant recipients with a total funding volume of around 31 million euros, the suspicion was confirmed in one case "that the approval had been influenced in an impermissible way". The ministry then ordered an "external legal review of this funding decision in May and asked the project sponsor not to authorize any further payments".
According to a legal opinion, the funding decision is "formally and materially unlawful". The responsible project sponsor will "initiate the hearing procedure required by law for the annulment of a grant decision in the short term. The end result could be "the complete repayment of the funding paid out to date".
Further funding decisions in sight
In other cases, too, new findings emerged during the internal audit "which led to doubts about the legality of two further funding decisions". Here, too, the BMDV initiated an external legal review.
The final report itself is classified and will not be published. "As all three cases are ongoing proceedings, no further details about the projects can be provided at this time," the ministry said in a statement.
Photos
Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs and Transport in Berlin. © BMDV
