Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) wants to take a first step towards opening up in the corona pandemic at the next federal-state meeting on Wednesday.
"The scientific forecasts show us that the peak of the wave is in sight," Scholz said in a speech to the Federal Council on Friday.
"This allows us to take a first step towards opening up at the federal-state meeting next week and then to look at more for spring."
The federal government had refused to draw up an easing plan before the federal-state consultations on February 16.
Scholz now apparently wants to tackle this.
However, he did not give details on Friday before the Federal Council.
The Federal Chancellor is convinced that federalism has proven itself in the corona pandemic.
The many and often very urgent laws were not always easy to manage, but: "As a result, our federal system has proven itself in the pandemic."
However, he warned the federal states to implement compulsory vaccination for employees in clinics and nursing homes.
"It's about protecting those who need it most - the sick and the oldest members of our society," he said.
"Your protection must and will continue to be our top priority," emphasized Scholz, expressly referring to the current debate about compulsory vaccination in clinics, old people's and nursing homes - "which we all decided together".
Scholz added that since the coming autumn and winter could again be associated with increasing numbers of infections, “the general obligation to vaccinate also makes sense”.