New rules and regulations in Germany that have been in effect since July

There shall be changes in rules and regulations in Germany in effect as of the beginning of July. Most of the changes have been decided on to cushion the blow caused by the coronavirus on the economy.

Pensioners getting more money

Pensioners in Germany are to get more money during the summer. According to a decree by the federal government the pension received should be experiencing an increase by 3.45% in western Germany and by 4.2% in the aster federal states.

Pensioners in Germany should expect an increase in pension

Protection against dismissal for tenants ends

From the beginning of April to the end of June, tenants who could not pay their rent did not have to fear the termination of their tenancy agreement. The regulation affected both tenants of residential space, as well as commercial tenants. The payment of the arrears must be paid after two years at the latest.

A similar delay of payment was allowed for the supply of electricity, gas, telecommunications (including the Internet) and water. These regulations no longer apply from 1st July as they end 30th June.

Deutsche Bahn cuts fares

As from 1 July with the new rules and regulations in Germany, tickets for long-distance travels by Deutsche Bahn customers will be 1.9 percent cheaper. This applies as well as to train cards and season tickets in long-distance transport.

Face Mask requirement

The obligation for mouth and nose covering on public transport and while shopping still applies throughout Germany. This was announced by Merkel. An infringement is generally considered an administrative offence and can be fined in some federal states.

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Merkel rejects call to abolish face masks in Germany

Lower VAT

From 1 July to the end of the year, the federal government has reduced value added tax (VAT) from 19 to 16 %, and from 7 to 5 % for food and everyday goods. The goal of the reduction is to boost the purchasing power of consumers and thereby stimulate the economy again.

Submission deadline for tax returns

There is a clear submission deadline for the 2019 tax return: the completed forms must be submitted to the tax office by 31 July at the latest. If the tax returns are filed by a tax adviser or income tax relief association, the deadline will be extended until 1 March 2021.

Travel ban to the EU relaxed and amended

The EU Commission has also begun to gradually ease the ban on travellers from non-EU countries from 1 July. Below is the list of so-called third countries (non-EU countries), whose residents are allowed to travel freely to and from the EU: