Federal Audit Court Accuses Administration of Outdated Mask Disposals
In a recent report published by "Spiegel" and addressed to the Budget Committee on topics from the health department, the Federal Audit Office has once again criticised the mask procurement under former Health Minister Jens Spahn. The report, which focuses on the follow-up costs of the "overprocurement" of masks, has sparked controversy and criticism from the Greens and Left.
The report highlights that the federal government spent 57 million euros on masks purchased at the beginning of the pandemic in 2024, a figure estimated by the Federal Audit Office. However, it's important to note that the payments to suing mask dealers are not included in this estimate.
The report also reveals that the costs for storing and disposing of old masks, legal advice in mask trials, and other follow-up costs total 517 million euros. The Federal Audit Office criticises that the federal government spent more on old masks last year than it planned for long COVID model measures for children and young people in five years.
The report does not specify the details of the legal advice in mask trials or what the legal advice in mask trials refers to. Similarly, the report does not include payments to suing mask dealers in its estimated costs.
The Federal Audit Office anticipates additional costs of 360 million euros from ongoing mask trials involving the open-house procedure. The ministry itself expects costs of 4.50 euros per mask from the open-house procedure trials, but many masks could not be accepted due to oversupply.
The report follows two previous criticisms from the Federal Audit Office in 2021 and 2024, which portrayed mask procurement at the beginning of the pandemic as completely out of control.
Jens Spahn was involved in large-scale procurement of masks for Germany's COVID-19 response, reportedly ordering masks "against the advice of his specialized departments" and at a high price, leading to scrutiny over the usage of public funds for these contracts. There were significant corruption scandals and financial controversies connected to mask deals in Germany, including politicians receiving large sums for brokering deals and government subsidies for the protective mask industry running into millions of euros.
However, the exact total costs specifically for mask storage, disposal, and trials as of 2024 are not publicly available or clearly documented in current sources. As of mid-2025, the focus remains on political and legal scrutiny of mask procurement dealings under Spahn, including police investigations and calls for accountability, but official public release of total cost breakdowns including storage and disposal has not been reported.
For the year 2022, 45 million euros are budgeted for these costs, and 67 million euros are budgeted for the years 2026 and 2027. The controversies largely focus on procurement prices and commissions rather than detailed lifecycle costs.
- The politicians and industry involved in mask procurement have faced criticism over financial controversies, as government subsidies for the protective mask industry ran into millions of euros.
- In the context of community policy and general-news, a significant portion of the 2022 federal budget (45 million euros) is designated for costs related to mask storage, disposal, and trials.
- The report on mask procurement, in addition to addressing procurement prices and commissions, also highlights the costs of vocational training for the protective mask industry, a key factor in its sustained growth and business development.
