At the beginning In the new year 2021, a large number of new laws came into force. But even in February there is in Germany some legislative changes. Here you can find out what will change in Germany from February 1, 2021, including all corona rules for February 2021.
Instead of February 28: Extended deadline for filing your tax return
The plans for the extended submission deadline for the 2019 tax return met with unanimous approval in the Bundestag. At the first reading of the grand coalition’s bill on Thursday, all opposition factions also signaled their approval. “The overall intention is correct, the measure is appropriate, the budget burden marginal,” said AfD financial expert Albrecht Glaser.
According to the draft law by the CDU / CSU and SPD, tax consultants should have six months more time for their clients’ tax returns due to the corona crisis. The deadline for filing annual tax returns for 2019 is to be extended from February 28 of this year to August 31 – but only in cases in which the respective taxpayer calls in a tax advisor or an income tax aid association.
The chairman of the Bundestag finance committee, Katja Hessel (FDP), declared that the tax consultants needed the “tailwind of parliament”. Because of the application for Corona aid and short-time work allowance, they are currently overloaded.
From February 15th: two-factor authentication for credit card payments
Credit card payments on the Internet are becoming more secure, but also a little more complicated. In future, when paying in online shops with Visa, Mastercard and Co., it will no longer be sufficient to enter the check digit on the back of the card in addition to the credit card number. From January 15, 2021, payments of 250 euros or more must be approved with two independent factors; from February 15, “two-factor authentication” will take effect from 150 euros. The rules are to be applied in full from mid-March 2021.
Instead of February 8: WhatsApp is postponing the introduction of the new data protection rules
WhatsApp is postponing the introduction of its new data protection rules after criticism and a churn of users by more than three months. So far you had to agree to the new conditions by February 8th in order to continue to use the chat service belonging to Facebook. Now the new data protection guideline will not apply until May 15, as WhatsApp announced in a blog post over the weekend. WhatsApp wants to use the time to clear up incorrect information and misunderstandings about the update.
According to WhatsApp, the changes are primarily about creating better ways to communicate with companies. The so-called end-to-end encryption, with which chat content is only visible to the participating users, but not even to WhatsApp itself in plain text, will not be shaken. There are also no plans to forward data to Facebook. Outside the EU, some WhatsApp user data has been sent to Facebook for advertising purposes or to improve products – albeit since 2016.
At the same time, WhatsApp itself emphasized that the exchange of messages with companies is designed differently than with family or friends. “If you communicate with a company via phone, email or WhatsApp, it can use the information from these interactions with you for its own marketing purposes. This can also include advertising on Facebook,” it said in an explanation. Businesses also have the option to use Facebook hosting services to manage WhatsApp chats with their customers, answer questions, and send information like proof of purchase. In this case there will be clear identification.
WhatsApp is the world’s most successful chat service with more than two billion users, followed by Facebook Messenger (1.3 billion). WeChat from China has 1.2 billion users – mainly thanks to its strong position in its isolated home market.
WhatsApp come under pressure: competition caught up
In the past few weeks, WhatsApp rivals such as Telegram, Signal or Threema had reported a strong influx – because users left WhatsApp after the announcement of the new data protection directive.
The fact that WhatsApp should also become a channel for communication between companies and their customers has been a central idea for some time now as to how Facebook could ultimately earn money with the chat service. The online network bought WhatsApp in 2014 for around 22 billion dollars. Another consideration was advertising in the so-called status area of the app, in which users can post photos for their contacts for a day. But this has been put on hold.
WhatsApp founders Jan Koum and Brian Acton, who became billionaires through the sale, left Facebook a few years ago. According to media reports, there were differences of opinion with Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg. Acton is a central sponsor for the Signal app – its encryption technology also uses WhatsApp. Acton joined calls to leave Facebook following the Cambridge Analytica data scandal.
At the same time, Mark Zuckerberg presented the plan some time ago to focus Facebook more on completely encrypted communication. WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Instagram’s chat function should also share a technical platform. The US government and more than 40 states are currently calling for Facebook to be broken up by splitting off WhatsApp and Instagram. A common technical infrastructure would make such projects more difficult.
New law from February 1st: Ban on artificial turf and rock gardens in Bavaria
The reform of the Bavarian building code will come into force on February 1, 2021. It regulates spacing areas to adjacent properties and buildings, parking obligations and requirements for building with wood. In addition, elevators no longer necessarily have to be built when adding storeys to buildings if this would result in disproportionately high costs.
What is particularly exciting about the new regulation is the ban on pure rock gardens and artificial turf. Instead, real plants should be used to protect the habitat of insects and birds.
Payment of import sales tax by 02/26/2021
Interesting for dealers: If you have applied for a deferred payment for import sales tax, the deadline for payment could be postponed from January 16, 2021 to February 26, 2021, provided the application was approved.
Corona rules in Germany: Lockdown extension until 02/14/2021
The measures previously agreed between the federal government and the federal states will initially be extended until February 14, the federal and federal states adjusted in detail according to:
CONTACTS: Furthermore, meetings outside of your own household are only allowed with one other person. It is advised to keep the number of households involved as constant and small as possible.
MASKS: Better protective masks should be mandatory in public transport and in shops. These can be surgical masks, FFP2 masks or KN95 masks, which have a comparable standard. Everyday masks made of fabric are no longer enough.
KITAS & SCHOOLS: Daycare centers and schools will remain closed until February 14th or the compulsory attendance will be suspended.
NURSING & NURSING HOME: Staff must wear an FFP2 mask when in contact with residents. Bundeswehr soldiers and volunteers are to step in so that visitors and staff can do quick tests several times a week. There should also be enough tests in facilities for people with disabilities.
Worship services: Services are allowed if the minimum distance of 1.5 meters is maintained. A mask with a higher protection standard is compulsory, singing is prohibited. Meetings with more than ten participants must generally be reported to the regulatory office at least two working days in advance.
WORK & HOME OFFICE: Wherever possible, employers must enable work at home. The Federal Ministry of Labor is to issue a corresponding ordinance for a limited period by March 15.
TAX PROMOTION FOR COMPUTERS: Anyone who purchases “certain digital assets” should be able to deduct them entirely from tax in the year of purchase – retroactively from January 1st. It is about “computer hardware and software for data entry and processing”.
HOTSPOTS: In countries and counties where a particularly high number of people are infected in relation to the number of inhabitants, tougher measures should take effect if necessary. There, too, there should be a realistic chance of achieving the goal of 50 new infections per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days (7-day incidence) by mid-February.
VACCINATIONS: All residents of nursing homes who wish to do so should be vaccinated by mid-February at the latest. Almost half have already been vaccinated according to the decision. The federal government wants to try to give the federal states reliable vaccine delivery times for the next six weeks.
VIRUS MUTATIONS: The circulating variants of the Coronavirus According to a regulation that has been in force since Tuesday, the exact virus type should be examined more closely (sequencing). The federal government should present the first results by the beginning of February. The background is fears about the spread of new virus variants, such as in Great Britain or Ireland, which could be significantly more contagious.
HEALTH OFFICE: Students are to be recruited and trained to follow up contacts in health authorities for the semester break from mid-February to mid-April. The aim is to ensure contact follow-up at least up to an incidence of 50.
CORONA AIDS: Access to government support for companies and self-employed persons is to be made easier, and aid is to be expanded. The obligation to file for insolvency will be suspended until the end of April for companies that are entitled to assistance payments and have submitted a promising application in good time.
NEXT STEPS: The federal and state governments want to develop a concept for a “safe and fair opening strategy” by mid-February.
ALSO APPLIES: The retail trade remains closed. Exceptions apply to shops that cover daily needs. Hairdressers, massage practices and cosmetic studios are also closed. Alcohol consumption in public places remains prohibited.
Already read?Basic pension, child benefit, health insurance – that will change in the new year
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sig / bos / news.de / dpa
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