Energy : Germany will cut the energy tax on petrol and diesel by 14 cents per liter from October 1, 2026. Including the VAT effect, pump prices could fall by up to 17 cents per liter. Filling stations are not obliged to pass the full cut on to drivers. [1][2]
Proposal : Germany’s 2027 social insurance thresholds proposed. The increase still needs cabinet and Bundesrat approval.
Public health insurance contribution ceiling increases to €6,375 per month.
The threshold to switch from public to private health insurance rises to €84,150 per year.
The pension and unemployment insurance ceiling increases to €8,850 per month. [4]
Proposal : The German cabinet proposed the following to tighten Grundsicherung support for EU citizens. The rules are expected to take effect around the turn of the year.
You'll (EU citizens) only qualify for Grundsicherung after five years of legal residence in Germany.
EU citizens in very low-paid jobs will no longer receive income top-up.
Jobcenters, tax offices, registration offices, and immigration offices will share data to detect fraud. [5]
Proposal : The Bundestag proposed creating Germany’s EU Digital Identity Wallet. This will give every German resident a smartphone wallet to prove identity and store official documents digitally. Nationwide rollout is planned from January 2027. The proposed bill has been referred to the Digital Affairs committee. [7]
Law : Federal Labor Court ruled that Einwurf-Einschreiben (registered mail) no longer proves a letter reached its recipient. Deutsche Post/DHL now generates the delivery receipt before the letter is actually placed in the mailbox. Courts can no longer assume delivery happened just because a receipt exists. This affects when you cancel insurance, end a contract, or send a legal notice, since you must still prove timely delivery in a dispute. [8]
Insurance : Public health insurers must notify you when they raise your premium. There were discussions to abolish this duty. A contribution increase gives you a special right to cancel your insurance. [9]
Deadline : The deadline to file the 2025 income tax return (Steuererklärung) has passed. If you missed the deadline, you can hire a tax advisor. The deadline with a tax advisor extends to March 1, 2027.
Phishing : The following phishing attempts have been reported.
Fraudsters are targeting sellers on Vinted (platform to buy and sell second-hand items). A fake buyer asks for a video of the item and moves the conversation to email. The seller then receives a fake Vinted email asking for PayPal login details or credit card data, sometimes via a QR code. [16]
Product Recall : The following products have been recalled by the manufacturer.
Go Asia recalled Surasang frozen oysters after noroviruses were detected.[2]
For emergencies:
BSI Lagezentrum: +49 228 999582 5110
BaFin Consumer Protection: consumer@bafin.de
Police: 110.
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Latest News
A third person has died from a locally transmitted malaria cluster linked to Frankfurt Airport. Two more residents of Schwanheim, about 5km from the airport, were hospitalized despite having no travel history to risk areas. Health authorities say there is no elevated risk to the general public. Doctors near the airport are being asked to consider malaria in patients with fever. [3]
Germany extends land border checks with all nine neighboring countries until March 15, 2027. This affects cross-border commuters and travelers at borders with Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Denmark, Poland, and Czechia. [6]
ECB has raised its deposit rate by 0.25 percentage points to 2.5%. Overnight savings accounts (Tagesgeld) could pay slightly more interest. Mortgage rates have risen by 0.3 to 0.5 percentage points since the end of June. [10] [11]
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New here? Check out GermanPediaDid someone forward you this? Subscribe to this newsletter. Your unfair advantage in Germany Essentials Rights : Utility suppliers can cut off your (tenants') electricity, gas, or water if your landlord fails to pay the bill. It doesn't matter if you (as a tenant) paid rent and utility costs on time. If you face a utility cutoff, do the following. Demand payment from the landlord in writing Ask the local housing authority (Wohnungsaufsicht) to intervene. Once...
New here? Check out GermanPediaDid someone forward you this? Subscribe to this newsletter. Your unfair advantage in Germany Essentials Law : Germany's cabinet approved the Startchancen- und Qualitätsentwicklungsgesetz. It will enforce nationwide quality standards for Kitas. By age four, every child's language and development status must be assessed. Kitas must offer targeted support where language gaps are found. Kitas will also receive extra funding to support this initiative. The federal...
New here? Check out GermanPediaDid someone forward you this? Subscribe to this newsletter. Your unfair advantage in Germany Essentials Tax : German cabinet approved the Einkommensteuerreformgesetz 2027 on 2 September. The Bundestag and Bundesrat still have to approve it. The basic tax-free allowance rises from 12,348 € to 12,564 € in 2027 and to 12,900 € in 2028. Kindergeld rises from 259 € to 267 € per child per month in 2027, and then to 272 € per child per month. The...