The Federal Environment Agency (UBA) is projected to receive a total of 40 new positions within the 2027 federal budget, according to reports cited in Politico’s “Energy and Climate” newsletter and based on internal parliamentary sources. It is anticipated that the number of jobs allocated will not be significantly reduced during ongoing budget discussions in the Budget Committee and within the Agency itself.
The draft of the federal budget plan for 2027 already indicates a planned personnel increase of approximately €10.8 million for the UBA compared to the previous year. The total budget is expected to reach approximately €154 million.
When asked about which specific departments will utilize the 40 new positions, the UBA declined to comment, stating that the agency was awaiting the results of the budget negotiations and would take the allocation into account when fulfilling its operational duties.
The increased staffing needs at the UBA are largely driven by the intensive support required for the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which came fully into force this year. Even in January, a UBA spokesperson told Politico that the existing staff was insufficient to handle the ongoing implementation of CBAM. This system, similar to an import tariff applied to CO2-intensive products, is designed to counterbalance the competitive disadvantages faced by European companies due to emissions trading.
