The mentioned incident most certainly happened in Germany. I know of a couple of fairly recent ones regarding inbounds to Zurich and numerous others at various other airfields across Germany, mostly small ones with no TMZ, D or C airspace. I filed a couple of reports myself. When looking at such an incident one has to consider that it might be seen with different eyes. I have made the experience that some encounters will be a nearmiss for one crew (mostly the airlinerīs) and a non-event for the other (mostly the gliderīs).
As an ATCO I see more and more gliders flying with their transponders turned on, especially in the vicinity of IFR-airfields without airspace protection. This is mostly a good thing, but sometimes it can drive you crazy because there are so many targets on a nice Sunday afternoon.
As a glider pilot however I know that still relatively few numbers of gliders are transponder equipped, especially the ones operated in clubs. Installing a transponder and a new 8,33kHz radio can easily cost a third of the current hull value, which is why clubs are reluctant to do it. Also thereīs the mentioned power problem, youīll need an extra battery or solar panels. The new 200.000$ motorgliders are mostly outfitted with some sort of transponder, often even with ADS-B in/out, which helps a lot both ways.
What almost every glider and many airplanes do have (in Europe) is FLARM. Thatīs a low power anti collision device with rather limited range.
I think the concept of having heavy jets in E is not without faults, in the perfect world the airlines would certainly prefer to have class A - D all around their flightpaths. However my opinion is that class E works sufficiently well as long as everybody plays by the rules and knows what heīs doing. Itī all about training and information. The local USAF units regularly invite pilots or talk to them during events. This has reduced the number of incidents around the two airbases in the western region of Germany.
As someone who has a good view to both sides of the medal I would like to keep it as it is, with well-sized protected (B / C / D) airspace around major airports, but only TMZ or less at airfieldīs with sometimes less than 20 IFR-movements per day. What would help is depicting the airspace situation on the approach plates. As a solution with a good in-/output relation one could also think of putting FLARM sensors around airfields and make that data available to everyone via ADS-B.
As an advice for glider pilots:
-ALWAYS keep a good lookout!
-Know where you are, electronic devices are a great help, but donīt let the distract you.
-Call the tower before transiting across the extended centerline of an airfield. You can tell them youīre there and they will tell you about any expected traffic.
-Try to avoid thermalling anywhere close to the extended centerline, especially at glide slope level (roughly 1000ft/3NM).
-DO NOT BY ANY MEANS bust the VMC minima. Riding along at the cloud base will make you wonder where that noise is coming from with no chance to avoid the source of it.
-Swich on your XPDR if youīre equipped and the battery is ok.
For heavy metal crews:
-Always keep a good lookout down low.
-Make your company provide you with the airspace structure of departure and destination airport, know the rules.
-Donīt request descend unnecessarily early.
-Donīt do visual approaches that will place you where noone will expect you to be.
As an ATCO:
-Keep your traffic in protected airspace as long as possible, even if it means a detour, level off etc... If you didnīt and something bad happens you will not be happy again and be hung by your balls.
-Have a good idea about present soaring conditions.