Germany

Like at the beginning of every month, new legal changes enter into effect in March 2021.These affect, for example, energy labels for refrigerators, televisions or washing machines. Also, summer time starts soon and parents urgently need to pay attention to the deadline for applying for Baukindergeld. Moreover, the lockdown regulations will be relaxed. Here’s an overview of the important legal …

Following allegations of violence levelled against the police in Chemnitz by an African family, a civil society organisation has launched a campaign against police brutality. According to the accounts of Mark Kitau and Jackline Nadler, a Kenyan couple, they were brutalised by police officers on the night of 31 January in the eastern German city of Chemnitz. The media has …

How an IOM frontline worker goes beyond return counselling by providing African migrants in Germany with the support they need Berlin – It is a full day for Danielle Al-Qassir at the foreign immigration office in Berlin. “I have clients calling me on my work phone, my private phone and the landline, and we have clients coming in in-person,” she …

Calls for political consequences are loud as Germany commemorates the first anniversary of the racist killings in the western German city of Hanau. On 19 February 2020, a 43-year-old German shot dead nine people with foreign roots in Hanau out of sheer racially-motivated hate — One year ago, on 19 February 2020, a 43-year-old German in Hanau had shot and …

According to the resolution of the Corona Summit, a meeting between Chancellor Angela Merkel and the premiers of the 16 federal states on the management of the pandemic, on Wednesday the lockdown measures in force will be extended in principle until 7 March. Among the key other decisions made at the meeting was that individual federal states should decide on …

The federal and state governments have agreed to extend the existing shutdown measures in Germany. On Wednesday, Chancellor Angela Merkel and the premiers of the 16 federal states reached decisions on the further course of the pandemic’s management. Highlights of the resolution of the Corona Summit at a glance: Lockdown extended until 7 March Corona infection numbers are falling, but …

As part of its “National Action Plan on Integration”, the Federal Government wants to promote diversity in the media. The package of measures adopted by the federal cabinet on Wednesday (3 February) includes, as one of its core projects, training “for differentiated and factual reporting on the topic of migration and integration”. Other projects are intended to ensure that more …

For the second time, Berlin is awarding prizes to entrepreneurs with a migration background operating in the city, which is also a federal state. The prize Vielfalt unternimmt – Berlin würdigt migrantische Unternehmen, first awarded in 2019, gives public recognition to the achievements of minority entrepreneurs who are contributing greatly to the economic development of the city. There are three …

Germany’s governing grand coalition has agreed on further aid to families and businesses because of the corona pandemic. The decision was made by the coalition committee of CDU/CSU and SPD on Wednesday (3 February), after a meeting in the office of the chancellor in Berlin. The meeting, at which the new CDU leader Armin Laschet also took part for the …

The Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation Europe (NIDOE) presented its Leadership Service Award 2020 to His Excellency Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, the Ambassador of the Federal Republic Nigeria to Germany, on Monday, 1 February 2021. The award is in recognition of the envoy’s “excellent and outstanding personal achievements and leadership” and his “immense contributions to National Development”. While presenting the award at …

The Ambassador of the Federal Republic Nigeria to Germany, His Excellency Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has called on Nigerians seeking consular services to desist from patronising touts. They should rather communicate directly with officials of the embassy, he charged. The envoy issued the advice at a meeting with the representatives of the Nigerian community in his office on Monday (1 February). …

Like at the beginning of every month, new legal changes enter into effect in February 2021. For example, the deadline for tax returns changes and paying for online shopping will become safer. Here’s an overview of the new laws and regulations: —- Submission deadline for tax return extended Some of us are already starting to gather the receipts and information …

At the conference of Germany’s federal and state governments on 19 January, it was decided that it’s compulsory to wear medical or FFP2 masks on public transport (bus, train, tram) and while shopping. Lufthansa has also announced its adoption of the new regulation aboard its flights from 1 February. What are medical and FFP2 masks? Where can I get them? …

In view of the Corona pandemic, a broad alliance of 36 trade unions and social associations is demanding an increase in the standard rates of Hartz IV and basic old-age security to at least 600 euros as well as immediate additional assistance for poor people. The signatories of the letter to the federal government, calling for increased social support for …

Armin Laschet, the premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, has been elected chairman of Germany’s governing Christian Democrats (CDU). Laschet (59) defeated Friedrich Merz by 521 votes to 466 in a run-off vote at an online-only party conference on Saturday. A third candidate, Norbert Röttgen was eliminated in a first round of voting. Laschet’s victory puts him in a strong position to …

The Nigerian Embassy in Germany has announced new fees for its services in line with a recent Federal Government’s directive. The notice announcing the changes indicates that consular services will henceforth attract administrative charges in addition to regular charges. The notice, which is also published on the embassy’s website, reads: “In furtherance to our notice of 15.12.2020, the general public …

Because of the persistently high coronavirus infection rates in the country, Germany’s state and federal governments resolved on Tuesday to extend the lockdown rules in the country. In addition to the extension of the shutdown, the latest resolution also contains an expansion of the containment measures. Accordingly, the current lockdown regulations, which have been in effect since 16 December and …

Police had to be called to maintain order in front of the Nigerian embassy in Berlin on Monday. According to the police, about 150 people wanted to enter the embassy ostensibly on appointment for various consular services. As they were not allowed to enter the grounds of the chancery, which cannot take that number of people at a time, a …

The solidarity surcharge will be abolished for most taxpayers and a CO2 tax will make petrol more expensive and there are also new regulations affecting employees, taxpayers, home builders and families. The year 2021 starts with many new laws and regulations.  An overview of the most important changes: Minimum wage The statutory minimum wage will rise from 9.35 euros to …

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier believes we have overcome the worst of the coronavirus pandemic. Solidarity has grown stronger through the crisis, the president said in his Christmas address to the nation. “‘When can I live my dreams again?’ This sigh of exasperation, my fellow Germans, is one of the thousands of personal messages I received from all parts of our …