July changes in Germany affect driving licenses, pensions and returnable bottles
Created: 07/01/2022 04:53
By: Julian Kaiser
In July 2022, consumers in Germany will be faced with numerous changes.
Here is an overview of the most important innovations.
NRW – In July there will be drastic changes in the everyday life of numerous consumers.
As RUHR24 reports, these not only affect your wallet, but also the environment and consumer protection.
This becomes clear after a brief overview of the changes that will soon come into force.
Current federal government | Cabinet Scholz since December 08, 2021 |
parties | SPD, Greens and FDP |
Chancellor | Olaf Scholz (SPD) |
Driving license: First age group must exchange it by July 19th
This change affects those German citizens who were born between 1953 and 1958 and have a driving license that was issued before 1999.
The old "rag" must be exchanged for a fee of 25.50 euros, otherwise the drivers concerned risk a fine of 10 euros, as reported by the
ADAC
.
Although this exchange should have taken place by January 19 of this year, the deadline was extended to July 19 due to the pandemic.
According to the Focus
, in order to obtain the new EU driver's
license, the valid ID card and a biometric passport photo must be presented in addition to the old driver's license.
Pension increase: around 21 million Germans get more money
Around 21 million German pensioners can look forward to a pension increase of 5.35 percent in western Germany and 6.12 percent in eastern Germany.
According to the
editorial network Germany (RND)
, this significant increase in pensions is “due to the past good economy and the resulting positive developments in employee income and pension fund income.”
According to the German pension insurance
, the pension adjustment initiated by the federal government on April 13 is
“the strongest pension increase in decades”.
As the
district newspaper
reports, the measure is "urgently necessary for most of us" due to the current inflation and the associated price increases for food at Lidl, Aldi and Rewe as well as for energy.
According to the
SWR
, the inflation rate is currently 7.9 percent.
The conclusion of trade unions and social organizations is correspondingly sober.
According to Anja Piel, board member of the German Federation of Trade Unions, "the comparatively good pension increase this year" will be "completely eaten up by the rising prices".
also read
Pension, Hartz IV, sick leave: These innovations will come in July
Driver's license exchange: the deadline expires for many in July - then there is a risk of a fine
Deposit return: New packaging law puts an end to almost all deposit-free bottles
Not only the wallets of consumers, but also the environment should be protected more in the future.
Because in the hot summer month of July, the regulations at the deposit machines at Aldi, Lidl, Rewe and Co. will soon no longer be available with a few exceptions.
Due to an amendment to the Packaging Act, disposable beverage packaging "can be sold without a deposit until July 1, 2022 at the latest," the federal government explains on its website.
After that, a deposit of 25 cents will also be charged on disposable plastic bottles and beverage cans.
According to the Focus
, Tetrapaks and plastic bottles with milk
are excluded from the new regulation .
Minimum wage: Increase is to take place gradually by October 2022
Chancellor Olaf Scholz had repeatedly promised during the election campaign that the minimum wage would be raised to 12 euros if he won the election.
On June 3rd, the Bundestag followed up with action and decided to increase the number with the votes of the traffic light coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP.
According to Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD), the federal government is thus “providing real relief for people on low incomes,” reports Merkur.
According to the
Focus
, the minimum wage is to be gradually increased until October 2022, after rising to EUR 9.82 in January and EUR 10.45 in June.
In July 2022, numerous changes will come to German consumers.
© Photo booth/K.Schmitt/Imago;
Gottfried Czepluch/Imago;
Collage: Sabrina Wagner/RUHR24
July 2022: Numerous changes are intended to protect finances and consumers
The measures mentioned will be joined by further changes in July: These include the new rent index law, more relief for families through child bonuses, the elimination of the EEG levy against rising energy prices or the increase in tobacco tax on shisha tobacco and liquids for e- cigarettes.
Contract terminations are also to be simplified for better consumer protection.
Contracts concluded online should also be able to be terminated online.
As the
focus
explains, in the future there must be a termination option on those websites on which contracts can be concluded.
If this is missing, consumers should be able to terminate contracts without notice in the future.
