At the end of December 2021, Germany’s net external assets stood at €2,545 billion, thus amounting to around 71% of nominal gross domestic product (GDP). Both German claims and liabilities vis-à-vis non-residents continued to rise in 2021.

Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann has spoken out in favour of making the rules on debt more binding. "It would be helpful for the rules of the Stability Pact to be simplified," he said in a speech delivered in Freiburg. Furthermore, Mr Weidmann added, a more rigorous interpretation of the rules could be achieved by giving responsibility for fiscal surveillance to an independent authority instead of the European Commission.

Pursuant to Eurosystem rules, auctions may be used alongside bilateral transactions as a supplementary procedure for specific market segments under the public sector purchase programme (PSPP). Within this framework, the Bundesbank conducts one multi-ISIN auction covering up to 10 securities on the second and fourth Thursday of every month. Advance notice for the auctions is issued on the Friday prior to the relevant auction.