{
  "id": 4612921,
  "title": "September 2026: 11 changes affecting expats in Germany",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/september-2026-11-changes-affecting-expats-in-germany",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-31T06:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "IamExpat Germany (All Germany News)",
    "slug": "iamexpat-germany-all-germany-news",
    "url": "https://www.iamexpat.de/expat-info/germany-news/september-2026-11-changes-affecting-expats-germany"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In September 2026, Germany will implement several changes affecting expats. Starting September 1, tax assistance associations (Lohnsteuerhilfevereine) will be able to provide broader tax advice to more people, eliminating income thresholds. Deutsche Bahn will ban alcohol in train stations gradually, with all 5,400 stations implementing the ban by October 15. Schoolchildren in Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia returned to school on September 2, with other regions following in the coming weeks. Voters in Saxony-Anhalt will choose a state premier on September 6, with the AfD potentially winning an absolute majority and becoming the first far-right party to govern a state alone. Berlin's city council will vote on September 20, with The Left projected to lead. Parliament will reconvene on September 7. Chancellor Friedrich Merz and his CDU/CSU-SPD coalition face multiple issues, including pension reform, a new sugar tax, income tax reforms, and climate policy. On September 10, Germany will conduct its first Warning Day since 2020, with sirens and alerts to test the alert system. On September 12, the EU Data Act will enter a new phase, requiring manufacturers to design products with easily accessible personal data. The festival season continues with Oktoberfest opening on September 19 in Munich and running until October 4. The autumnal equinox will occur on September 23, marking the start of longer days. New EU consumer laws take effect on September 27, including the GARAN-Label for products with two-year guarantees and the EmpCo Directive to prevent greenwashing.",
  "summary": "The seasons are changing in Germany, and so are tax returns, data and guarantee regulations, governments, greenwashing and train station rules.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "IamExpat Germany (All Germany News)",
        "title": "Renting vs. buying in Germany: How expats can make the right call",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/31/renting-vs-buying-in-germany-how-expats-can-make-the-right-call",
        "published": "2026-08-31T09:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}