Germany’s National Action Plan is out. After more than two-years of consultation diverse stakeholder groups ranging from business to civil society and academia, the German Government adopted its National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAP) on 21 December...So, what are the key elements of the German NAP and how can stakeholders help a bold and rapid implementation? The German NAP does not fulfil many of the ambitious hopes of civil society, and progressive business alike. Criticism from civil society organisation...has been rising since the beginning of the stakeholder consultation process...This is not unique to the German NAP as none of the NAPs published so far single out such mandatory steps, in particular on access to remedy – the ‘orphan of the UNGPs’.  The German NAP does contain some stronger commitments...However, it is vague in comparison with other European NAPs on human rights due diligence in public procurement as well as with regard to the duties to respect human rights for state-owned or partly-state-owned enterprises. Despite its shortcomings, the NAP does include several innovative elements that the German Government, business and civil society can capitalize on to ensure successful implementation in 2017 and beyond: 1.     Action-focused engagement with different stakeholder groups... 2.     Mandatory due diligence if business fails to demonstrate action on human rights... 3.     Internationalise the best of the NAP...