Consumers - Pension, cannabis, drink caps: these are the changes in July
Cannabis-Clubs
Starting from July 1st, according to the Cannabis Law, cannabis can be grown collectively in specific clubs. Retirees can look forward to more money in their accounts - and what else changes in July:
Cannabis-Clubs
From July 1st, cannabis can be grown collectively and distributed among members in special associations, as stated in the law. However, consumption within these association-type entities, known as clubs, is not permitted. The clubs may have a maximum of 500 members and can only distribute cannabis in limited quantities to these members and not sell it.
Car Blackbox
As of July 7th, newly registered cars in Germany must be equipped with a so-called Event Data Recorder. Similar to how data is stored in aircraft black boxes, data that can be read in the event of an accident for investigation purposes should be saved.
More Money for Retirees
More than 21 million retirees and retirees in Germany will receive increased pensions starting July 1st. For the first time, pensions in East and West will be equal in size. A pension of 1000 Euro will increase by 45.70 Euro.
Additional allowance for approximately three million people for their disability pension: For a pension start date between January 2001 and June 2014, the allowance is 7.5%; for a pension start date between July 2014 and December 2018, it is 4.5%.
Bottle Caps
To reduce waste in the landscape, loose bottle caps on certain beverages will be banned starting July 3rd. This applies to disposable packaging made entirely or partially of plastic - such as juice cartons or single-use PET bottles - with a volume of up to three liters.
Breast Cancer Early Detection
The age limit for free breast cancer screening for statutory health insured individuals will be raised from 69 to 75 years. The new regulation is set to take effect on July 1st.
Riedbahn Sanitation
Deutsche Bahn begins the general renovation of the Riedbahn on July 15th, which connects Frankfurt and Mannheim. The line will be closed until December 14th. Trains will be rerouted, and there will be rail replacement services.
Maut (Toll) for smaller transporters
Starting July 1st, tolls also apply to smaller transporters with more than 3.5 tons. Until now, this has only applied to those with more than 7.5 tons.
Germany on Summer Vacation
Starting July 26th, when Bavarian students are the last to start their summer vacations, all schools in Germany will be closed for a few days. On August 1st, the new school year begins for children and adolescents in Thuringia. Traditionally, there are many different vacation start dates in Germany, which the federal states coordinate with each other. In this year, there are seven different dates.
Luxury Department Store in Berlin Closes
The French luxury department store Galeries Lafayette will close its Berlin location for customers and clients on July 31st. It is the only branch in Germany.
Bundestag Allowances Increase
The 734 members of the Bundestag will receive more money: As of July 1st, their allowances will increase by 6%. The monthly allowance will then be 11,227.20 Euro.
Organ Donor Register Available to Hospitals
From July 1, Klinken will be able to search and retrieve data from the Organ Donor Register. Volunteers have been able to register declarations of their organ and tissue donation readiness through the online function of the Personal ID card since March.
Gas Storage Deposit
The gas storage deposit, which makes up a part of the natural gas price, will increase to 2.50 Euro per Megawatt-hour (0.025 Euro per Kilowatt-hour) as of July 1. The deposit currently stands at 1.86 Euro per Megawatt-hour. For a household with a yearly consumption of 20,000 Kilowatt-hours, this results in approximately 13 Euro in additional costs per year.
Employment Reduction Pension for Parliamentarians EU Regulation on Plastic Products, Article 6 Transport Ministry on Event Data Recorder Information Expansion of Breast Cancer Prevention Law Draft for Changes to the Cannabis Law Health Ministry on Cannabis Gas Storage Deposit
- Retirees in the Cannabis-Clubs may also benefit from the increased pensions, as they are now eligible to join these clubs starting July 1st.
- Some cannabis consumers might be interested in the car blackbox regulation, as it could potentially reveal information about accidents related to impaired driving due to drugs such as cannabis.
- Berlin's retail trade sector might see an impact when the luxury department store Galeries Lafayette closes its doors on July 31st.
- The pension increase for retirees may also affect the health insurance payments, as a greater income might lead to a need for more comprehensive coverage or different health care options.
- Those planning for their pension might consider the changes in the Cannabis Law, as it could potentially impact the investment landscape for marijuana-related businesses and stocks.
- The railroad workers, especially those who use the Riedbahn line, should plan their travel arrangements properly in July, as the line will be under renovation from July 15th to December 14th.
