Overview

• The upper house passed a resolution calling on the federal government to scrap the 1952 exception that lets 14- and 15-year-olds drink alcohol when accompanied by a custodial adult.
• Under current rules, beer, wine and sparkling wine can be purchased at 16, and consumed at 14–15 with a parent present, including in restaurants and public settings.
• The push traces back to a Bavarian motion and has backing from state health ministers as well as Federal Health Minister Nina Warken and drugs commissioner Hendrik Streeck.
• The Bundesrat also approved a draft law to ban smoking in cars when children or pregnant people are present, with proposed fines ranging from €500 to €3,000.
• Previous attempts to enact a car smoking ban in 2019 and 2022 did not pass the Bundestag, which must again debate and decide on both initiatives.