Key Changes in June 2024
June 2024 marks the beginning of various significant updates in France and Germany, affecting financial, medical, and recreational aspects of citizens' lives. The most notable change comes in the price of gas. The Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) has announced that the benchmark price of gas will increase, impacting the average household's expenditure. The average benchmark price excluding tax rises by 2.3%, whereas the price including tax sees a 1.8% increase.
Tax and Legal Adjustments
For French residents, important income tax deadlines are approaching. Online tax returns for departments ranging from 20 to 54 ended on May 30, and those from 55 to 976 have until June 6. The new '3DS' law aims to provide proper addressing for all homes by June 1, 2024, ensuring better service delivery. Concurrently, in Germany, families are preparing for the European elections on June 9, where for the first time, citizens aged 16 and over can vote.
Lifestyle and Support Initiatives
To help families, several financial aids will come into effect. France introduces the Pass'Sport program earlier this year, starting June 1, offering €50 to young people to cover sports registration fees. Additionally, the 'Mon Soutien Psy' system evolves, upping the session reimbursements from €30 to €50 and increasing the covered sessions from 8 to 12 annually. Similarly, in Germany, there will be changes in tenancy laws from July 1, and the BahnCard will switch to a digital-only format from June 6.
- The change in the gas price in France will affect many households already dealing with high living costs. This adjustment comes with an increased rate of €2.00/MWh for typical cooking, hot water, and heating consumers.
- France's '3DS' law is a significant move towards simplifying logistics and service delivery by mandating unique addresses for all homes. This will particularly help in emergency response and infrastructure development like optical fiber.
- In Germany, the new naturalization rules that come into effect on June 27 will accelerate the process of obtaining citizenship. Immigrants can now get German citizenship within five years instead of eight, or even three years based on their integration performance.
- The European Championship, starting June 14 in Germany, will see youth participation under strict regulations. For public viewings, children under 16 must be accompanied by parents past midnight.
- The ban on cannabinoids H4CBD and H2CBD effective from June 3 in France follows several health concerns, including cases of serious effects like loss of consciousness and severe anxiety.
