As the autumn winds settle in, November brings more than shorter days and Christmas market lights to Germany. A fresh set of national and EU-wide rules will quietly reshape parts of everyday life - from how we board planes and watch TV to how small loans are issued and freelancers are paid. Here’s a concise look at what’s new this month.
Starting 12 November 2025, Ryanair passengers flying from German airports will no longer be able to check in using paper boarding passes. The low-cost carrier is going completely digital, meaning travelers will need to show their boarding pass on a smartphone or another electronic device.
The move aims to streamline boarding and reduce paper waste, but it also means travelers who rely on printed passes will have to adapt - especially those without easy smartphone access.
From 18 November, Germany’s public broadcasters ARD and ZDF will switch off their standard-definition (SD) signals. Viewers with older television sets that don’t support HD reception via satellite or cable will lose access to these channels unless they upgrade their equipment.
The change is part of a nationwide modernization drive intended to free up bandwidth and improve picture quality across the board.
Beginning 20 November, Germany will implement new consumer-credit regulations covering small loans and installment payment services. Short-term borrowing of up to around €200 - as well as “Buy Now, Pay Later” schemes - will face stricter transparency requirements and credit checks.
This reform, part of the EU Consumer Credit Directive, is meant to protect consumers from hidden costs and impulsive debt, a growing issue amid the surge in online shopping.
Freelance midwives working outside hospitals will see long-awaited improvements to their compensation. A new collective agreement taking effect this month sets their hourly rate at €74 and introduces simplified billing procedures.
The change is expected to make freelance midwifery more financially sustainable and to help address shortages in maternity care - a recurring concern in several German regions.
From 3 November, professional-networking platform LinkedIn will begin using members’ publicly available profile data to train artificial-intelligence models. German users who prefer to keep their information out of such systems must manually opt out in their privacy settings.
The update highlights the growing importance of data transparency as AI technologies become woven into everyday digital platforms.
Germany’s popular Kulturpass programme - which grants €100 in cultural credits to 18-year-olds - will end this year. Young adults who still have funds left on their accounts must spend them by 30 November 2025.
The initiative was launched to support the post-pandemic cultural sector and to encourage youth participation in theatre, music and art.
While none of these changes are revolutionary on their own, together they reflect a broader national trend: a steady move toward digitalization, simplified regulation, and stronger consumer rights. Whether you’re a traveler, small business owner, healthcare worker, or simply a fan of German TV, November 2025 will likely bring at least one new adjustment to your daily routine.
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