Overview
- Schleswig-Holstein and the environmental group BUND agreed on expanded bat protections around the Kalkberghöhen, and BUND will withdraw its May case against the 10‑kilometer Weede–Wittenborn section.
- The state will establish a Landesstiftung Fledermausschutz funded with €14 million to implement the conservation measures.
- The agreement adds safeguards including protection of hang forests and rare calc‑tufa springs along the Trave, otter measures, closures of highly sensitive areas, and permanent enforcement of 60 km/h limits on parts of the A20 and A21.
- Federal Transport Minister Patrick Schnieder welcomed the deal and said the government will move to fund the project once a final, non-appealable building-rights decision exists.
- A new report to the Bundestag lifts the A20 completion estimate to €8.5 billion from about €5.1 billion in 2021, putting cost and budget allocation in focus for the next steps.