Overview
- From 1 January, the minimum wage rises to €13.90, the mini‑job limit moves to €603, contribution ceilings increase, and the new Aktivrente allows full pensioners to earn up to €2,000 a month tax‑free from insured employment, with a mid‑year pension increase planned for 1 July.
- Energy bills shift as the gas storage levy is abolished on 1 January and electricity grid fees are subsidized, while many gas network charges rise and an auction‑based CO₂ price from 2026 could lift fuel and heating costs.
- Family and commuting relief expands as child benefit increases to €259 per month with a higher child allowance, the Deutschlandticket climbs to €63, and the commuter allowance is set at 38 cents from the first kilometer.
- Health and product rules tighten with new PFAS limits for drinking water from 12 January, free lung‑cancer screening for heavy smokers starting in April, a ban on cage housing for laying hens from 1 January, and origin labeling for honey plus updated jam standards from 14 June.
- Consumer and digital protections advance with a mandatory online withdrawal button by 19 June, AI transparency duties from 2 August, digital tax notices as default, EU repair‑right transposition due by 31 July, stricter credit checks for small loans from November, and nationwide take‑back requirements for e‑cigarettes and light‑vehicle batteries beginning 1 January.