Germany’s federal order is, according to all political parties and social groups, under pressure of reform. An inter-parliamentary commission has been surveying all areas of federalism and was to propose models of reform late in 2004. The symposium’s aim was to analyse other federal systems, which are currently undergoing or have already undergone reforms in their federal orders. The Institute for Legal Policy therefore invited experts from various countries to discuss their experiences with problems and reforms of federalism. The results thereof are explored for the German perspective.