Opening the meeting, Germany's Interior Minister Otto Schily stressed that the federal government is striving to achieve a broad public consensus. That is why, in addition to experts, representatives of the most important public groups were included in the commission. According to the minister, one of the commission's main tasks will be to assess the country's capacity to receive and integrate foreigners, as well as to analyze the development of the situation in this area. Experts will present a comprehensive report every year. Otto Schily expressed hope that the newly created body would help give a more businesslike character to the discussions on immigration issues taking place in the country.
The chairwoman of the commission is Rita Süssmuth, former speaker of the Bundestag. At one time she also headed the immigration commission under the federal government and in that capacity participated in the drafting of the immigration law bill. This law has still not been adopted - it failed to pass the Bundesrat (chamber of states) because of a formal error made in counting the votes. Therefore, the government has again submitted the draft law for consideration without any changes.
In the Bundesrat, representatives of opposition parties, who oppose the bill in its current form, have the majority of votes. Nevertheless, the government hopes that a compromise solution will be found within the mediation committee of the Bundestag, which earlier passed the bill with the votes of deputies from the ruling parties.
In addition to Rita Süssmuth, the commission includes the executive director of the Federal Association of German Employers' Associations Christoph Kannengießer, a member of the board of the German Trade Union Confederation Heinz Putzhammer, a member of the presidium of the German Association of Cities Gerd Landsberg, director of the German Institute for Economic Research Gert Wagner, and director of the Institute for Migration Research Klaus Bade.