Germany Ditches Green Sticker for E-Cars and Mandatory Coffee Machine Inspections in Red-Tape Overhaul
Published on 07/16/2026 at 06:17 | Redaktion boerse-global.de
The German cabinet approved a 10-measure package on Wednesday that targets roughly 600 million euros in annual savings by cutting bureaucratic red tape for businesses, citizens, and public administration. The reforms add to a broader push that has already delivered about 10.4 billion euros in yearly relief since November 2025, according to a government report.
One of the most visible changes: electric vehicles with an official E-plate will no longer need the green environmental sticker on their windshields. The amendment to the 35. Federal Immission Control Ordinance (BImSchV) means the E-plate itself serves as proof of permission to enter low-emission zones. Drivers previously faced a 100-euro fine for entering such zones without the sticker. The change saves each owner between 5 and 20 euros on the sticker fee. However, only vehicles that display the official E-plate are exempt; other electric cars remain subject to the sticker requirement. The existing environmental zones and air-quality thresholds stay unchanged.
For companies, the package eliminates the periodic safety testing obligation for low-risk electrical devices such as coffee machines, kettles, and charging cables. Industry estimates put the resulting savings at around 720 million euros. The cabinet also amended the Radiation Protection Act to digitize the radiation passport, a move that simplifies administrative processes for companies in radiation-exposed fields. The environment ministry expects annual savings of roughly 17 million euros and a one-third reduction in the number of passport holders.
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Additional components of the reform include the Health Digitalization Act (GeDIG), which introduces electronic referrals, digital doctor's letters, and cloud use in hospitals. These measures are expected to save 445 million euros annually, with electronic referrals phased in gradually until September 2029. In logistics, truck driving bans on public holidays will be standardized to apply only on federally uniform holidays, easing cross-border goods transport on regional public holidays. For the unemployed, agreements with job centers can now be legally made via email and counseling sessions conducted through video calls.
Business associations—among them the Federation of German Industries (BDI), the Central Association of German Crafts (ZDH), and the digital industry lobby Bitkom—welcomed the steps as moves in the right direction but called for faster reform. The BDI highlighted that no major breakthrough has been achieved yet on reporting obligations. The German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) and the National Regulatory Control Council urged all ministries to implement the changes more consistently. The government plans to pass about 30 more measures by the end of the year.
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