1) Digital certificate of conduct is now an option
When applying online for a German certificate of conduct (Führungszeugnis), applicants may now choose a digital certificate alongside the paper document. The Federal Government says it is provided as a PDF through a secure process to the applicant's personal BundID account.
Practical move: confirm what the receiving employer, authority, or organisation accepts before choosing the digital route. The change adds a delivery option; it does not remove the need to meet the recipient's document requirements.
2) PFHxA restrictions affect selected consumer products
From October 10, 2026, EU restrictions on the PFAS subgroup PFHxA begin to apply to specified consumer clothing. The Federal Government also flags affected food-contact packaging, cosmetics, and waterproofing sprays; the legal scope is phased and product-specific.
Practical move: consumers should not infer that every water-repellent product is affected or that every product labelled PFAS-free meets the same standard. Businesses should check the applicable product category, concentration thresholds, transition dates, and exemptions against the legal text and competent authority guidance.
3) DB station alcohol-consumption ban is nationwide
Since October 15, DB's alcohol-consumption ban applies at all 5,700 DB stations. The ban covers consumption in station halls and on platforms. Station restaurants and sealed alcoholic drinks carried in luggage remain excluded. DB says a breach can lead to an order to leave and, for repeated breaches, a ban from the premises.
4) Temporary fuel-tax relief continues to December 31
The temporary energy-tax reduction for petrol and diesel remains in force through December 31, 2026. The BMF specifies a 14.04-cent-per-litre tax reduction, around 17 cents when the VAT effect is included. Fuel suppliers determine whether and how much reaches the pump price, so compare current local prices.
Action checklist
- Check a recipient's document format before ordering a digital certificate of conduct.
- Treat PFHxA product claims as category-specific; use official legal and authority guidance for compliance decisions.
- Do not consume alcohol on DB station premises outside the exempted restaurant areas.
- Continue comparing station prices: tax relief is not a guaranteed retail-price cut.