THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
From labelling requirements for artificial intelligence to a new legal right to all-day school care, several new laws and regulations take effect in Germany in August 2026. While some changes mainly affect businesses, others will have a direct impact on families, workers and everyday consumers. Here is our guide to the seven changes that matter most, explained without the legal jargon.
1. AI-generated content must now be clearly labelled
One of the most significant changes comes on 2 August, when new transparency rules under the EU Artificial Intelligence (AI) Act begin to apply. Companies using AI systems must make it clear when people are interacting with AI rather than a human. AI-generated text, images, audio and videos published on matters of public interest must also be labelled accordingly.
The same goes for “deepfakes”: manipulated images, audio or video which must now be labelled so that viewers know what they are looking at is not authentic. The goal is simple — to make sure people always know when they are dealing with a machine rather than a human being, or viewing content that has been artificially created or altered, reducing the risk of deception and misinformation. Germany’s Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur) will oversee implementation nationally.
For everyday users, this means you are increasingly likely to see notices indicating that a chatbot, article, image or video has been created or significantly assisted by artificial intelligence.
2. Children gain legal right to all-day school care
From 1 August, children starting first grade (Klasse 1) gain a legal right to all-day care — either through an after-school childcare centre (known in Germany as a Hort) or an all-day programme run by the school itself.
Families are entitled to up to eight hours of care on weekdays. Importantly, taking up the offer is not compulsory — it is a right that families can choose to use, not an obligation. The entitlement will be extended step by step to older primary school children until it eventually covers all pupils from Class 1 to Class 4, by the 2029/30 school year..
This is a significant development for working parents, including many in the African community who juggle jobs with childcare. The measure is intended to make it easier to balance employment and family responsibilities.
3. New “right to repair” for consumers
Germany’s right to repair came into force on 31 July 2026.
It requires manufacturers of household appliances and electronics, including washing machines, refrigerators and smartphones, to offer repairs at a reasonable price for several years after purchase, rather than pushing consumers towards buying new ones.
For consumers, this should mean it becomes cheaper and easier to fix a broken appliance instead of throwing it away. Manufacturers must also ensure that products are designed to be repairable and that spare parts remain available.
The law is intended to reduce electronic waste, save resources and help consumers avoid unnecessary replacement costs. It also strengthens consumer rights by extending warranty protection in some repair cases.
4. Stricter rules on product packaging
The EU’s new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) takes effect on 12 August. It is designed to cut down on unnecessary packaging, encourage refillable containers and boost recycling across the bloc, while making the rules more consistent from one EU country to another so that trade is not disrupted.
One concrete change: Packaging that comes into contact with food will also be subject to stricter safety standards. Packaging containing PFAS — a group of long-lasting synthetic chemicals sometimes called “forever chemicals” because they barely break down in the environment — above certain limits can no longer be sold from 12 August..
Consumers may gradually notice less excessive packaging and more recyclable or reusable alternatives.
5. Tougher limits on formaldehyde in everyday products
Stricter EU-wide limits on formaldehyde take effect from 6 August, under the bloc’s REACH chemicals regulation. Formaldehyde is a chemical often used in adhesives and resins, especially in furniture, flooring, building materials and wood-based products. From this date, those products must not exceed a limit of 0.062 mg per cubic metre. Other products face a slightly higher limit of 0.080 mg per cubic metre, though products used inside vehicles get an extra year, until August 2027, to comply. The reason for the crackdown: formaldehyde is harmful to health and has been classified as carcinogenic in the EU since 2014.
6. Solar feed-in payments fall again
Homeowners installing new rooftop solar panels from 1 August will receive slightly lower payments for electricity fed into the public grid. The reduction affects photovoltaic systems of up to 10 kilowatt-peak (kWp) installed from that date onwards. Germany’s feed-in tariff is reduced by one per cent every six months as renewable energy technology becomes more widespread and affordable.
Systems already up and running before 1 August keep the higher, earlier rate. This is part of a long-planned, gradual decline in feed-in tariffs of one percent every six months — the next reduction is due on 1 February 2027
7. New training rules for construction apprentices
Young people beginning apprenticeships in Germany’s construction sector from 1 August will study under updated training regulations covering 19 trades in the sector.
In 16 of the 19 three-year construction trades, a new “split” final examination is being introduced: an exam taken after two years will count for 40 percent of the final grade, with the remaining 60 percent coming from the exam at the end of the full apprenticeship.
Apprentices in the shorter, two-year construction trades will also find it easier to progress into a related three-year qualification, with previous achievements now counted towards the new course. The updated training plans place greater emphasis on sustainability, climate protection and digital skills — themes that now cut across all the construction trades.
Sola Jolaoso
