April 2023 brings many changes for consumers.
These include the 49-euro ticket, higher net wages and the phasing out of nuclear power plants.
Munich – April 2023 could be a lucky month for many people.
Finally, some positive changes are planned from a consumer perspective.
In addition to wage increases, the successor to the 9-euro ticket, the 49-euro ticket, should be available after a long wait.
In addition, the corona protection measures will finally expire in April.
All changes in April 2023 in Germany at a glance.
Changes in April 2023: advance sale of the 49-euro ticket starts
Good news for commuters: After the 9-euro ticket was well received by consumers last year, the 49-euro ticket, also known as the Germany ticket, is now following.
From April 3, 2023, travelers can purchase this online and in all usual sales outlets.
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In April 2023 there will be some changes again.
The 49-euro ticket can be purchased from April 3rd.
However, the Isar 2 nuclear power plant, which is to be shut down in the middle of the month, will come to an end.
© Christian Ohde/imago/Armin Weigel/dpa/Montage
The ticket is always valid for one month and only for local and regional transport.
Long-distance traffic is excluded from the offer - as was the case with the 9-euro ticket.
Tickets for express trains such as the IC, ICE or EC must therefore be purchased separately.
Although the ticket is already available for purchase in April, it can only be used from May 1, 2023, as reported by Deutsche Bahn (DB).
Shutting down the last three nuclear power plants is one of the major changes in April 2023
Three nuclear power plants are still active in Germany - that should change in April 2023.
As announced by the German Bundestag, the Emsland, Isar 2 and Neckarwestheim 2 power plants are to be closed on April 15.
In November 2022, the federal government had previously decided to extend the running time of the power plants in order to ensure sufficient power supply over the winter.
The government set the new deadline for April 15th.
Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) made it clear that this will remain the case: “The exit will remain, period,” she quotes the Bundestag on its website.
More net from gross: Changes ensure higher wages in April 2023
A new change in April 2023 is particularly pleasing for all employees and civil servants.
After the annual tax law for 2023 decided to increase the basic tax allowance, some consumers can expect higher net wages for the same gross salary.
According to the Federal Ministry of Finance, the allowance has increased by 561 euros.
True, this change was already decided for the new year.
However, since the program sequences for wage tax deduction will change from April 2023, employees and civil servants will only benefit from the higher net wage in the coming month, reports the
Deutsche Handwerks Zeitung.
Changes in April 2023: wage increases for painters and varnishers
Painters and varnishers will receive a higher hourly wage from April 2023.
As the IG Bauen-Agrar-Umwelt announced, an increase to 14.50 euros per hour for journeymen was agreed at the last minute.
A lower wage limit of 12.50 euros will apply to helpers from April.
IG Metall also has good news for all temporary workers: the collectively agreed minimum wage has risen to 13 euros.
The collective bargaining agreement negotiated the increase in June 2022.
It was also decided that the wage increase would take place in two stages – a further increase in the minimum wage for temporary work is planned for January 2024.
Changes in April 2023 also affect the nationwide corona protection measures
As early as autumn 2022 of last year, the Standing Vaccination Commission (Stiko) declared the corona pandemic to be over.
Since then, the corona regulations have been dropped step by step – most recently, for example, the obligation to wear a mask on buses and trains ended.
In medical facilities such as medical practices, however, this has so far still applied.
That could change from April 7, 2023, when the nationwide corona protection measures expire.
It is still unclear whether the federal government will decide on new changes by then.
In addition, even after the nationwide protective measures have ended, the federal states can decide on specific regulations with the aim of continuing to adequately protect vulnerable groups of people from the corona virus.
Discrimination in blood donation is to end with a change in April 2023
From April 2023, homosexual and bisexual men may no longer be discriminated against when donating blood.
So far, these have been considered to be people with an increased risk of transmission of serious infectious diseases that can be transmitted through blood, such as HIV.
It was theoretically possible for homosexual and bisexual men to donate blood, but only if certain criteria were taken into account.
Instead of assessing the risk based on sexual orientation, in future “the individual sexual behavior of people who want to donate blood should be considered,” emphasized the federal government in a statement from March 2023. People with frequently changing sex partners continue to be considered an increased risk group for communicable diseases.
Bitter Change for Microsoft Consumers: Cost of Programs Increases Significantly in April 2023
For Microsoft users there will be fewer positive changes in April 2023: The company has decided to increase the price of its cloud products by around eleven percent from April.
The reason for this is a global harmonization of pricing.
The programs Microsoft 365, Office 365 and Dynamics 365 as well as Microsoft Defender and Teams are affected.
Consumers must also reckon with the fact that the costs are now increasing every six months.
(tt)
List of rubrics: © Christian Ohde/imago/Armin Weigel/dpa/Montage