
Everything that changes in Germany in June 2025
Maternity protection in the event of miscarriage
Starting from the beginning of June, women who suffer a miscarriage from the 13th week of pregnancy are entitled to maternity protection, or
Mutterschutz.
Affected women are set to receive paid maternity leave from work to recover from the physical and mental stress caused by the event.
The duration of the leave entitlement depends on the timing of the miscarriage.
For instance, someone who loses a pregnancy from the 13th week would be entitled to two weeks of
Mutterschutz,
while a loss from the 17th week would give six weeks of protection. Women who suffer a miscarriage from the 20th week would be entitled to eight weeks of paid time away from work.
Prior to June 1st, 2025, those affected by pregnancy loss had to request sick leave with a doctor's approval to take time away from work.
READ ALSO:
Mutterschutz - Germany's plans to extend maternity paid leave following miscarriage
Changing electricity providers to happen within 24 hours
Starting June 6th, if you change electricity providers in Germany the switch is to take place within 24 hours.
This comes as the result of an EU directive that is intended to increase competition, according to the Lower Saxony Consumer Advice Centre.
However, the notice period of your current contract remains in place.
Going forward, retroactive registrations, as may be the case in the event of a move, will no longer be possible.
READ ALSO:
How to reduce your household electricity bill in Germany this year
Germany marks Whit Monday
June 9th is a national public holiday this year, as Germany marks
Pfingstmontag
, or Whit Monday.
Whit Monday immediately follows Whit Sunday, or Pentecost, which comes 50 days after Easter.
Many Christians attend a special church service on this weekend, and the holiday is also celebrated with spring fun fairs. You can also expect to see large wreaths (
Pfingstenkranz
) on display in some regions.
TV cameras are seen in Osnabrück Cathedral during mass. The Whit Monday service here is televised. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Friso Gentsch
As with all national holidays, most workers have the day off and you should expect most businesses to be closed.
READ ALSO:
How employees in Germany can make the most of public holidays in 2025
Germany honours members of the
Bundeswehr
on National Veterans' Day
On
June
15th, the veterans of the
Bundeswehr
are to be honoured for the first time at a national Veterans' Day service.
The central celebration is set to take place in front of the Reichstag
in
Berlin, and there are other events in other cities.
Germany's Veterans' Day was formally introduced last year, but this year marks the first time service members will be honoured on the day.
A veteran of the
Bundeswehr
is considered to be someone who is in active service as a soldier of the German Army or has honourably retired from duty.
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Mandatory gas checks for caravans and motorhomes
Anyone who owns a motorhome or caravan with a liquefied gas system must provide proof of an up-to-date expert check starting June 19th.
The new requirement comes as an amendment to the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO) and is intended to ensure fewer accidents related to heating, cooling and cooking in camper vans.
New EU rules for smartphones
From June 20th, new EU-level design requirements for smartphones and other cordless phones come into force.
Advertisement
New phones on the market in Europe will need to meet a minimum level of durability, their batteries should still have a capacity of 80 percent after at least 800 charging cycles, and manufacturers must provide spare parts up to seven years after sales have stopped, according to the new regulations.
The EU directive aims to decrease the waste involved with smartphone use, by ensuring that the devices last longer and are more easily repairable.
This follows a previous EU law which required new phones on the European market to be
compatible with a standard USB-C charger.
Summer break begins in some German states
For millions of students, the school year is comes to an end in June.
Children and students in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia are the first to start their summer holidays – their last day of school is June 27th. As always, Bavaria will be the last federal state to start the summer break, as last as August 1st.
A street artist entertains vacationers with huge soap bubbles. Summer break begins at the end of June for some states this year. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Jens Büttner
Summer break for German schools usually lasts about six weeks, with pupils in the states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia returning to class on August 11th this year.
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More accessibility in online retail
From June 28th, online retailers are required to offer their portals barrier-free for people with disabilities.
This requirement is brought by the Accessibility Strengthening Act, and it applies to banking services or the apps and websites of transport companies, among others.
Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments section below.
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DW
2 days ago
- DW
Health risks of synthetic drug use in Europe still unknown – DW – 06/05/2025
An EU drug report shows synthetic substances are on an upward trend. Drugs like cathinones are now made in Europe to keep up with demand. The health risks are largely unknown. What you need to know: Synthetic stimulants like cathinones continue to rise in Europe Researchers lack knowledge about the long-term health risks of synthetic drug use Cocaine remains Europe's illicit drug of choice, and it's moving from big cities to small towns Fentanyl and nitazene use are increasing, driven by a ban on opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan The European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) monitored 1,000 new psychoactive substances at the end of 2024 and found that local drug users were increasingly consuming new forms of synthetic drugs. This has been the dominant trend in Europe over the past 5-10 years. But what is new is that increasing amounts of these synthetic drugs are now being produced in Europe — previously, they were largely trafficked from India, China or the Middle East. "This is a result of the demand for taking synthetic [drugs]," said Andrew Cunningham, head of policy, crime and markets at the EUDA in Lisbon, Portugal. Cocaine, however, is still Europe's most popular illicit stimulant drug. Imported from Latin American countries like Ecuador and Colombia, about 4.6 million Europeans used cocaine in 2024. The report also shows more Europeans are taking multiple drugs at the same time. As in previous years, so-called polysubstance use is the leading cause of drug deaths in Europe. The findings were published in the European Drug Report 2025 , June 5. Why is synthetic drug use a problem? Synthetic drug use is a major public health concern. Many synthetic substances have very high potency, and because they are relatively new and ever-evolving, scientists have not been able to track the long-term effects. The report shows that Europeans are increasingly using cathinones, either in combination with, or instead of, amphetamines and MDMA. Cathinones, such as 3-MMC (mephedrone), are synthetic stimulants, which have "gained recreational popularity over the past 20 years in Europe," said Jan Ramaekers, a psychopharmacologist at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. Ramaekers said the long-term health effects of cathinones were not well known. Researchers needed to better understand consumption patterns among users: What is a "normal" dose? How does it range? What is lethal? "We need controlled studies with 3-MMC in these 'normal' dose ranges that focus on health risks, but also on potential health benefits," said Ramaekers. Most cathinones were imported from India and China, primarily through the Netherlands. But production has steadily moved to Central Asia and Europe, "influenced by the Ukraine war," said Cunningham. Legal highs: Addictive and dangerous To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Cocaine spreading from cities to smaller towns A significant amount of global cocaine product ends up in Europe. For the seventh year in a row, record quantities of cocaine were seized by EU countries, amounting to 419 tons in 2023, up from 323 tons in 2022. "It's a very significant amount considering global cocaine production is estimated at 2,600 tons per year," he said. But it's not just cocaine: Wastewater analysis in 128 European cities found overall increases in cocaine, but also MDMA and amphetamine use in 2024. The analysis suggests that urban patterns of drug use in big cities may be spreading to smaller towns. Cunningham, whose team tracks the effects of geopolitical situations on Europe's drug market, said most of Europe's cocaine (70%) comes from Colombia. "Global [cocaine] production is up every year since 2016 after the Colombian government made a [peace] deal with FARC," he said. FARC, also known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, were a Marxist militant group, suspected of involvement in illicit drug trade. Large seizures in Europe's ports show drug traffickers continue to smuggle the drug in from the sea. In 2024, Spain reported its largest ever seizure of cocaine (13 tons), concealed in bananas originating in Ecuador. How Europe became addicted to cocaine To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Deadly synthetic opioids on the rise The EUDA report estimates there were 7,500 drug-induced deaths in Europe in 2023, the majority of which were due to opioid drugs. Fake medicines containing synthetic opiates called nitazenes increased in at least 12 European countries in 2024. Some nitazene compounds are even stronger than fentanyl, which itself is 50 times stronger than heroin and has an extremely high risk of overdose. Synthetic opioids have been a major issue in the US for years, but the report shows they are a growing problem on the European drug market, too. "We fear an increase in synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl and nitazenes, on the illegal drug market, particularly as a result of the ban on opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan," said Daniel Deimel, an addiction expert at Nuremberg Technical University, Germany. Fentanyl, America's silent killer To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video In recent months, there has been an increase in overdose clusters in Europe, which, Deimel said, may be a result of people mixing synthetic opioids with heroin. "Tests in drug consumption rooms in Germany have shown evidence of fentanyl or nitazene in heroin. If these substances become more common, the number of overdoses and fatal overdoses is likely to increase," said Deimel. Drug seizures in Europe have found nitazenes in fake prescription drugs, mimicking oxycodone or benzodiazepines bought on the illegal drug market. These fake pills have much higher potency and carry a significant risk of drug poisoning and overdose, especially as people do not know the drugs they are taking contain nitazenes. The EUDA report shows authorities seized 10 kilograms of nitazenes powder in 2023 — potentially sufficient to make millions of pills containing enough nitazenes to cause an overdose. Many experts are calling for more drug checking services to detect which substances are circulating on the drug scene. This allows public warnings to be issued when dangerous compounds are found in substances. Edited by: Zulfikar Abbany Source: The EU Drug Report 2025, EUDA, June 5 2025


Int'l Business Times
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- Int'l Business Times
Beyond Safety and Efficacy: Medical Brands Redefines Medical Self-Care Through a Human Lens
At the center of Medical Brands is the belief that effective self-care products are the most powerful when they don't burden the mind and body. For over a decade, the company has been dedicated to pioneering a new way of thinking, one rooted in convenience, innovation, and people-centrism. Continuously committed to addressing the ever-changing customer needs, Medical Brands develops, patents, trademarks, manufactures, and delivers product concepts, each one supported by substantiated clinical data. Whether through their own brands or co-creating with established medical self-care names, Medical Brands' goal is to stand at the cutting edge of self-care innovation. Its products combine years of expertise, extensive R&D, regulatory requirements, and a dedication to addressing users' needs. Therefore, they fill the gap between brand owners and product development, making innovative self-care accessible to all. Wart Removal Pen Applicator by Medical Brands Leveraging the favorable European regulations allowing CE-marked products for distribution across all EU countries and countries with mutual recognition, Medical Brands has grown rapidly, today offering B2B and B2C contracts across the globe. This fusion of regulatory understanding, speed-to-market acumen, and human-driven innovation is shaped by the people who built Medical Brands. CEO and President Maikel Hendriks brings a wealth of engineering experience to the table. Today, he harnesses that knowledge to design and develop convenient applicators and innovative products. "In traditional pharma, you think immunologically, pharmacologically, and metabolically," he says. "But in engineering, you think physically. That's what makes Medical Brands so unique." With more than 30 finished products, over 20 in the pipeline, and multiple tried and tested patents , the power of this combination is evident. Hendriks credits Medical Brands' team of 28 professionals, from engineers and designers to pharmacists and supply chain specialists, as the engine that made this success possible. With this diverse expertise, the company produces in-house with its own machinery, making production faster and more scalable. From 3D printers to active medical ingredients, it ensures full control over the final product's quality. Results? A comprehensive suite of products that treat people as users, not patients. That mindset blends safety, efficacy, reliability, and convenience, working in harmony with the body's natural processes to enhance well-being. Hendriks illustrates that by offering product examples, for instance, a precise wart pen applicator that makes treatment a breeze. Elephant-Shaped Bottle by Medical Brands With a complex formula locked in simple packaging, Medical Brands reimagines self-care devices by creating more than an effective treatment; it creates a unique experience. But it's also about appeal. For instance, its cough spray for kids in an elephant-shaped bottle makes the application feel more fun and lighthearted. On the other hand, its nail fungus treatment comes with an added benefit: a colored nail polish that attacks the problem while making the user happy. The company also creates innovation by combining medical monographs with convenient applicators, making otherwise inaccessible treatment within reach for all. At its core, Medical Brands believes that with the right self-care, users can minimize the risks of illness and doctor visits. "Today, you can care for your body at home," adds Hendriks. "We're not reinventing the wheel; we're just making this process more comfortable for users' benefit." Looking ahead, Medical Brands is planning to grow its line to wound treatment alternatives, blending the power of substance-based medical devices and electronics. Additionally, with talks of geographical expansion underway, it remains excited about redefining self-care medical devices in Europe and beyond. "When you're driving self-care to new levels, innovation comes first," Hendriks concludes. "Conventions limit possibilities, and that stifles progress. That's why our mission is to contribute to the healthcare system by empowering people to treat themselves. That's the perfect balance between breaking the rules without breaking regulations, which is what Medical Brands is all about."


Local Germany
21-05-2025
- Local Germany
Everything that changes in Germany in June 2025
Maternity protection in the event of miscarriage Starting from the beginning of June, women who suffer a miscarriage from the 13th week of pregnancy are entitled to maternity protection, or Mutterschutz. Affected women are set to receive paid maternity leave from work to recover from the physical and mental stress caused by the event. The duration of the leave entitlement depends on the timing of the miscarriage. For instance, someone who loses a pregnancy from the 13th week would be entitled to two weeks of Mutterschutz, while a loss from the 17th week would give six weeks of protection. Women who suffer a miscarriage from the 20th week would be entitled to eight weeks of paid time away from work. Prior to June 1st, 2025, those affected by pregnancy loss had to request sick leave with a doctor's approval to take time away from work. READ ALSO: Mutterschutz - Germany's plans to extend maternity paid leave following miscarriage Changing electricity providers to happen within 24 hours Starting June 6th, if you change electricity providers in Germany the switch is to take place within 24 hours. This comes as the result of an EU directive that is intended to increase competition, according to the Lower Saxony Consumer Advice Centre. However, the notice period of your current contract remains in place. Going forward, retroactive registrations, as may be the case in the event of a move, will no longer be possible. READ ALSO: How to reduce your household electricity bill in Germany this year Germany marks Whit Monday June 9th is a national public holiday this year, as Germany marks Pfingstmontag , or Whit Monday. Whit Monday immediately follows Whit Sunday, or Pentecost, which comes 50 days after Easter. Many Christians attend a special church service on this weekend, and the holiday is also celebrated with spring fun fairs. You can also expect to see large wreaths ( Pfingstenkranz ) on display in some regions. TV cameras are seen in Osnabrück Cathedral during mass. The Whit Monday service here is televised. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Friso Gentsch As with all national holidays, most workers have the day off and you should expect most businesses to be closed. READ ALSO: How employees in Germany can make the most of public holidays in 2025 Germany honours members of the Bundeswehr on National Veterans' Day On June 15th, the veterans of the Bundeswehr are to be honoured for the first time at a national Veterans' Day service. The central celebration is set to take place in front of the Reichstag in Berlin, and there are other events in other cities. Germany's Veterans' Day was formally introduced last year, but this year marks the first time service members will be honoured on the day. A veteran of the Bundeswehr is considered to be someone who is in active service as a soldier of the German Army or has honourably retired from duty. Advertisement Mandatory gas checks for caravans and motorhomes Anyone who owns a motorhome or caravan with a liquefied gas system must provide proof of an up-to-date expert check starting June 19th. The new requirement comes as an amendment to the Road Traffic Licensing Regulations (StVZO) and is intended to ensure fewer accidents related to heating, cooling and cooking in camper vans. New EU rules for smartphones From June 20th, new EU-level design requirements for smartphones and other cordless phones come into force. Advertisement New phones on the market in Europe will need to meet a minimum level of durability, their batteries should still have a capacity of 80 percent after at least 800 charging cycles, and manufacturers must provide spare parts up to seven years after sales have stopped, according to the new regulations. The EU directive aims to decrease the waste involved with smartphone use, by ensuring that the devices last longer and are more easily repairable. This follows a previous EU law which required new phones on the European market to be compatible with a standard USB-C charger. Summer break begins in some German states For millions of students, the school year is comes to an end in June. Children and students in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia are the first to start their summer holidays – their last day of school is June 27th. As always, Bavaria will be the last federal state to start the summer break, as last as August 1st. A street artist entertains vacationers with huge soap bubbles. Summer break begins at the end of June for some states this year. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Jens Büttner Summer break for German schools usually lasts about six weeks, with pupils in the states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia returning to class on August 11th this year. Advertisement More accessibility in online retail From June 28th, online retailers are required to offer their portals barrier-free for people with disabilities. This requirement is brought by the Accessibility Strengthening Act, and it applies to banking services or the apps and websites of transport companies, among others. Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments section below.