Approved in November, the 2009 budget for Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) increased 9.1% to €10.204 billion ($12.984 billion), or 2.9% of GDP. Funding for projects rose 15% to €3.5 billion. Project areas of focus include biotechnology and biomedical research. In total, funding for the life sciences increased 7.5% to €430 million. In addition to the BMBF funding, the German government has also allocated funding for small business, energy, agriculture and the environment. The Federal Ministry of Economics expects to fund the €313 million Central SME (small and medium enterprises) Innovation Program. The Ministry of Agriculture is investing €4 million in the German Biomass Research Center as well as €17.5 million for bioenergy projects. In addition, the Federal Environment Ministry plans to invest €441.5 million in renewable energies research between 2009 and 2012. Separately, the Friedrich Löffler Institute, which specializes on veterinary and animal health research, will receive €281 million for expansion.

Source: www.biotechnologie.de