The revised Consumer Credit Directive fundamentally reorganizes the consumer credit business. From November 20, 2026, an extended scope of application and significantly stricter requirements will apply – not only for retail banks, but also for companies with strong B2C sales financing. These are the most important facts:   Legislative process for implementation underway: In September […]

Complaints are great. They show unvarnishedly where processes, communication or services are not working. And even if they initially seem stressful for everyone involved, those who know how to deal with them professionally gain one of the most valuable resources for the further development of an organization. Complaints are therefore not a nuisance, but highly […]

The planned 2026 tenancy law reform limits furnishing surcharges, caps index-linked rents, cuts short-term rental models and tightens the obligations for landlords. The aim is to close loopholes to circumvent the rent cap. On February 8, 2026, the Federal Ministry of Justice (BMJV) presented the draft bill to amend the law on residential and commercial […]

Due to the ongoing Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the EU wants to make it easier to prosecute violations of EU sanctions. The corresponding Directive (EU) 2024/1226 came into force on May 19, 2024 and must be transposed into German law by May 20, 2025. The draft bill to amend the Foreign Trade and […]

High absenteeism and sickness rates can be reduced. There are various ways in which employers can achieve this. Chancellor Merz wants to abolish sick notes by telephone in order to reduce periods of incapacity for work. However, statutory health insurance physicians are calling for employers to be deprived of the right to demand a certificate […]

Since January 1, 2026, the Crypto Asset Tax Transparency Act (KStTG) in force. It implements DAC8 (EU Directive 2023/2226 – Directive on Administrative Cooperation) in Germany and obliges crypto asset service providers in the EU to report transaction data to the tax authorities. The crypto market was previously a black box for the tax authorities. […]

The European Commission has initiated a comprehensive revision of the regulatory framework for European payment transactions with the drafts of the Third Payment Services Directive (Payment Services Directive 3 – PSD3) and the new Payment Services Regulation (PSR). For credit institutions, e-money institutions and payment service providers (PSPs), this means that they should review their […]

Thanks to the new SGEI exemption decision, the public sector can more easily promote affordable housing for middle-income households. With the new version of December 16, 2025, the European Commission is expanding the scope of application and enabling compensation for the provision of affordable housing as a service of general economic interest (SGEI). Corresponding subsidies […]

On December 19, 2025, the Bundestag passed the Business Location Promotion Act (StoFöG). The aim of the law is to strengthen Germany as a business and financial location in the long term, promote private investment and relieve companies of the burden of bureaucracy. The Federal Council is expected to approve the law at the end […]

Environmental statements are becoming increasingly risky for companies. Due to the Empowering Consumers Directive (EmpCo), much stricter rules will soon apply to environmental claims and sustainability labels. The directive is applicable from September 27, 2026. In Germany, the European requirements are implemented in the Unfair Competition Act (UWG). The German government presented a draft bill […]