Germany’s Finance Ministry is allegedly planning to present a report to the cabinet proposing that the government reduce its stakes in a number of state-owned companies, including incumbent telecoms operator Deutsche Telekom (DT) and Deutsche Post. According to financial newspaper Handelsblatt, ministers will discuss how to sell off government shares, with the report allegedly stating that ‘a reduction or complete divestment of company holdings is under consideration’. The report on privatisation plans, updated every two years, is expected to be presented to the German cabinet today.
As previously reported by TeleGeography’s CommsUpdate, in November 2014 the German government played down speculation that it planned to reduce its stake in a number of companies, after a leak of the proposals was reported by press. The German Federal Republic owns a 14.5% stake in DT, which operates under the brand Telekom Deutschland in its domestic market, while a further 17.5% is held via state-owned development bank KfW Bankengruppe.