New here? Check out GermanPediaDid someone forward you this? Subscribe to this newsletter. Click here if you are a bot. We'll stop sending you emails. Merry Christmas 🎄 As the year comes to an end, I want to take a moment to say thank you. Thank you for being here. Thank you for reading, learning, and growing with us. And most of all, thank you for your trust. GermanPedia exists because of you. Every message you read, every guide you use, reminds us why we started GermanPedia in the first...
9 days ago • 10 min read
New here? Check out GermanPediaDid someone forward you this? Subscribe to this newsletter. Click here if you are a bot. We'll stop sending you emails. Important changes Wero - European alternative to PayPal. Wero is the EU's first step towards becoming independent of American payment services such as Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal. [1] The ECB didn't change the key interest rates. This means the savings interest rate remains at 2.0%, which is below the inflation rate of 2.3%. This is why you...
16 days ago • 9 min read
New here? Check out GermanPediaDid someone forward you this? Subscribe to this newsletter. Click here if you are a bot. We'll stop sending you emails. 31 changes coming in 2026 you should know about Social security Social insurance: Significant increase in contribution assessment ceilings. This is the maximum income considered to calculate your insurance premium. Higher earners will feel the effect. Health and long‑term care: €66,150 to €69,750 Pension and unemployment insurance: €8,050 to...
23 days ago • 10 min read
New here? Check out GermanPediaDid someone forward you this? Subscribe to this newsletter. Click here if you are a bot. We'll stop sending you emails. Important changes Germany's Bundestag approved the voluntary military service law. Every 18-year-old man must complete online fitness questionnaires from January 2026. And from July 2027, every 18-year-old man must undergo compulsory medical checks. [1, 2] The Bundestag finally passes the pension reform. The pension reform will now go to the...
30 days ago • 11 min read
New here? Check out GermanPediaDid someone forward you this? Subscribe to this newsletter. Click here if you are a bot. We'll stop sending you emails. Important changes 2000 untätigkeitsklage filed in 2025 against LEA (Ausländerbehorde) for taking too long to decide on German citizenship applications. [1] If your application is stuck for more than 10 months, this law firm is filing Untätigkeitsklage for FREE. Pension reform proposed by Merz has passed without amendments. The reform stabilizes...
about 1 month ago • 10 min read
New here? Check out GermanPediaDid someone forward you this? Subscribe to this newsletter. Click here if you are a bot. We'll stop sending you emails. Important changes The Deutschlandticket will cost €63 per month from 2026. You may need to actively accept the price increase or cancel by December 10th, depending on your provider. Stricter credit checks for "Buy Now, Pay Later" purchases and mini-loans. From November 20, 2025, all short-term, digital "Buy Now, Pay Later" loans and mini-loans...
about 1 month ago • 10 min read
New here? Check out GermanPediaDid someone forward you this? Subscribe to this newsletter. Click here if you are a bot. We'll stop sending you emails. Important changes The EU is ending the €150 duty-free import threshold for platforms like Temu. This means from 2028 onward, goods imported into the EU will face customs fees from the first euro. [1] Germany plans to introduce a voluntary military service scheme beginning in 2026. It aims at boosting the Bundeswehr by recruiting tens of...
about 2 months ago • 11 min read
New here? Check out GermanPediaDid someone forward you this? Subscribe to this newsletter. Click here if you are a bot. We'll stop sending you emails. Important changes Carnival in Klön will start on 11 Nov. The Gigabit Infrastructure Act (EU) 2024/1309 will come into effect on Nov 12. It slashes the cost and time of rolling out gigabit networks by forcing utilities, landlords, and councils to share ducts, poles, and buildings. [1] From 2026, every new or renovated building must be...
about 2 months ago • 10 min read
New here? Check out GermanPediaDid someone forward you this? Subscribe to this newsletter. Click here if you are a bot. We'll stop sending you emails. Important changes The federal cabinet approves an increase in the minimum wage. The minimum wage will increase to 13.90€ from Jan 2026 and to 14.60€ from Jan 2027. More on it later. The German drugstore and grocery chains dm, Rossmann, and Lidl plans to launch their own online pharmacy. They will sell the drugs for which you don't need a...
2 months ago • 11 min read