• After lengthy discussions, citizen income will come at the beginning of January 2023
• From January 1, 2023, new laws will only be announced digitally
Reusable alternative and greater responsibility for respecting human rights
From the beginning of January, companies and restaurants will be held accountable: from January 1st, 2023, restaurants, caterers and supply chains will be obliged to offer a reusable alternative to the usual plastic packaging. This regulation does not apply to small businesses with a maximum of five employees or less than 80 square meters of retail space – but these companies must also pack food in reusable containers they have brought with them if the customer so requests. On January 1st, 2023, the “Act on Corporate Due Diligence in Supply Chains” will also come into force, according to which companies in Germany are obliged to identify risks of human rights violations and environmental destruction at direct and occasionally also at indirect suppliers and to take countermeasures. In addition, they must set up complaints options and document everything to the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA). However, the consumer centers criticize that the law leaves many loopholes.
More child benefit, more pension, more housing benefit
A number of social innovations will also come into effect in January. For example, child benefit for all children will be increased to EUR 250 on January 1st and the additional earnings limit will no longer apply when drawing a statutory pension, so that pensioners can work as much as they like without reducing their pension payments. On July 1st, pensions are expected to increase by 3.5 percent in the west and 4.2 percent in the east, which will at the same time bring the pension levels further into line. If the federal government’s draft of the 2022 pension insurance report is implemented in this way, the pension value in the east will be 99.3 percent of the west value, according to the consumer advice center.
Also from January 1st, 2023, as part of the housing benefit reform, more than one million households that have not yet met the necessary requirements can apply for housing benefit from their municipality. The housing benefit will also be increased from an average of 180 euros a month to an average of 370 euros a month at the turn of the year. The reason for the reform is rising rents and the energy crisis. In line with this, the price brakes for gas, electricity and district heating will come into force at the beginning of December 2022 in March 2023 (retrospectively from January). Then 80 percent of the previous year’s gas consumption will be capped at 12 cents per kilowatt hour, electricity at 40 cents per kilowatt hour and district heating at 9.5 cents per kilowatt hour. In the spring – the exact deadline has not yet been set – the 49-euro ticket will be introduced as the successor to the 9-euro ticket.
At the turn of the year comes the citizens’ income
From the beginning of January 2023, the much-discussed citizen’s allowance will also replace Hartz IV. Among other things, this will increase the standard rate for single adults to 502 euros per month, the allowances for additional income of up to 1,000 euros will be increased to 30 percent and a further education allowance will be introduced will. The asset allowance for singles in the first year, however, is different than initially planned at only 40,000 euros and for each additional person in the same household at 15,000 euros. The sanction options for misconduct from the first day of receipt of benefits are retained.
For employees in care, the minimum wage will increase on May 1, 2023 (nursing assistants: 13.90 euros, qualified nursing assistants: 14.90 euros, nursing professionals: 17.65 euros). On December 1, 2023, the minimum wages will be increased again to 14.50 euros (nursing assistants), 15.25 euros (qualified nursing assistants) and 18.25 euros (nursing assistants). In addition, for employees in care with a 5-day week, the entitlement to more vacation days than the statutory minimum vacation of 20 days will be increased to nine additional vacation days. This additional leave regulation initially applies to 2023 and 2024.
Innovations for drivers
Anyone who buys or rents an e-car in Germany is subsidized by the state – however, the subsidy will drop from the previous maximum of 9,000 euros to a maximum of 4,500 euros on January 1st, depending on the net list price. The purchase of vehicles worth more than 45,000 euros and plug-in hybrids will no longer be subsidized from next year and from September only private individuals will be able to apply for state subsidies for the purchase of electric cars. Traders will then no longer be supported.
Drivers will have to exchange their driving license again in 2023: Those born between 1959 and 1964 have until January 19 to hand in their red or gray “rag” and pick up their new, forgery-proof EU driving license from the office. This is a formality – of course, a new driver’s license test does not have to be taken.
The printed Federal Law Gazette is abolished
There are also innovations in agriculture at the turn of the year. Due to the shortage of wheat due to the war in Ukraine, the obligation to set aside four percent of the farm’s arable land and to change the crop rotation every year will be exceptionally suspended for 2023. However, this does not apply to perennial fallow land, these are excluded from this. The federal government has also already made it clear that this is an exception that should not be extended.
Laws passed from January 1, 2023 no longer have to appear in the printed version of the Federal Law Gazette, but are published electronically on the Internet. The Bundestag passed this regulation at the beginning of December. The step is intended to speed up announcements and facilitate access to the law. There will then no longer be any other binding official version for new laws, the printed version will be abolished. According to the federal government’s press release, the platform on which the new laws will be announced will be announced “in good time for January 2023”.
Olga Rogler / Editor finanzen.net
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