You plan to move to the Philippines? Wollen Sie auf den Philippinen leben?

There are REALLY TONS of websites telling us how, why, maybe why not and when you'll be able to move to the Philippines. I only love to tell and explain some things "between the lines". Enjoy reading, be informed, have fun and be entertained too!

Ja, es gibt tonnenweise Webseiten, die Ihnen sagen wie, warum, vielleicht warum nicht und wann Sie am besten auf die Philippinen auswandern könnten. Ich möchte Ihnen in Zukunft "zwischen den Zeilen" einige zusätzlichen Dinge berichten und erzählen. Viel Spass beim Lesen und Gute Unterhaltung!


Visitors of germanexpatinthephilippines/Besucher dieser Webseite.Ich liebe meine Flaggensammlung!

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Showing posts with label Germany. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Germany. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

Germany, Japan are PH's top investors in 2023

BY BETHEENA UNITE


Germany and Japan are the top foreign investors in the Philippines from January to September this year, a Cabinet official said.

BBM SECTORAL MEET.jpg
(Photo courtesy of PCO)

Trade Undersecretary  Ceferino Rodolfo said Germany has the biggest investment pledges with 80 percent of the P427-billion foreign investments in the first nine months of the year.

Japan was the second top investor during the same period, Rodolfo added. 

"I would say 80 percent of the P427 billion have come from Germany. Pero marami pa iyang nasa pipeline ha, marami tayo ngayong nasa pipeline (But there are more projects in the pipeline), particularly for renewable energy projects," the Trade official said.

He added that foreign investors are seeing the Philippines as a good investment hub because of the government’s policy-related reforms and the further removal of the foreign equity restriction on renewable energy.

He further said the Philippines used to not be the "darling of European Union countries due to "some reasons."

"Pero ngayon nakikita natin that when the President has said, ‘we are open for business’ at saka nakikita naman nila iyong mga policy reforms dito sa Pilipinas, pumapasok na sila (But now, when the President said: we are open for business and they are seeing the policy reforms in the Philippines),” Rodolfo said.

Sunday, September 10, 2023

Germany, US envoys enjoy friendly rivalry at FIBA World Cup semifinals

BY RAYMUND ANTONIO


The ambassadors of Germany and the United States enjoyed the friendly rivalry between their countries’ respective national basketball teams as they watched the Germans beat the Americans for the first time in FIBA World Cup history.

Germany_US envoys.jpg(From left) US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson and Ambassador Andreas Pfaffernoschke of Germany shake hands after Germany defeated the US in the FIBA World Cup semifinals on Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. (Photo from Amb. Pfaffernoschke)

German Ambassador to the Philippines Andreas Pfaffernoschke celebrated his country’s victory on a post on X (formerly Twitter) after watching the game with US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson.  

“A pleasure to meet #TeamGermany after the sensational win against Team (USA),” he captioned a photo of him with some of Germany players inside their locker room at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena.

“Good luck for the #FIBAWC2023  finals tomorrow!,” he added as Germany will face Serbia on a final battle on Sunday, Sept. 10.

The German envoy thanked Carlson for watching the game as well, and even posted a selfie of them.

“And thanks to my (USA) colleague for watching this thrilling and exciting match together. Compliments to @_BasketballUSA - what a team!,” Pfaffernoschke added.

The teams met on Friday, Sept. 8, at the Mall of Asia Arena where Germany booked their first time to the championship game after the thrilling 113-111 victory.

Carlson reposted the German ambassador’s tweet and congratulated Germany for the semifinal win.

“I congratulated my colleague, German Ambassador Andreas Pfaffernoschke, on his team's win in tonight’s #FIBAWC semifinal match. Great game, right down to the final buzzer! Proud of our @USABasketball team for giving their all,” she wrote on X.

Sunday, July 9, 2023

Germany, France back PH complaint on Chinese harassment



Germany and France have expressed support for the Philippines after another incident of harassment involving China's Coast Guard against its Filipino counterpart right in the country's waters.

German Ambassador to the Philippines Anke Reiffenstuel said an "aggressive behavior," particularly when Chinese personnel made a dangerous maneuver against the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), "has no place in the South China Sea."

She called for respect toward the rules-based maritime order, with the 2016 Arbitral Ruling pertaining to the Philippines' sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea, as the "center."

Reiffenstuel also agreed with the sentiment of US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson, who had earlier expressed concern about China's "irresponsible" behavior in the waters.

Meanwhile, France also called for a dialogue between concerned parties to resolve possible disputes.

The French Embassy in Manila said it is concerned about the recent developments and is calling for "for respect for international law and the resolution of disputes through dialogue."

"We are resolutely opposed to any use of force or threat to do so. We recall, in this regard, the Arbitration award rendered under UNCLOS on the 12th of July 2016," it added.

On June 30, the PCG said it was "constantly followed, harassed and obstructed" by the CCG after providing support in the naval operation of the Philippine troops.

The incident happened in the waters off Ayungin Shoal, an area legally and internationally recognized as part of the Philippine territory but is being claimed by China.

Japan and the US—which have close relations with the Philippines—had also expressed concern about the incident.

Friday, November 18, 2022

Germany makes it easier for expats to obtain citizenship


 

Published on 2022-11-15 at 14:00 by Ameerah Arjanee*


The German government has decided to ease its naturalization laws. From December 2022, the number of years of residency needed to apply for citizenship will be reduced from 8 to 5 years. In addition, dual citizenship will be finally allowed for all expats, not just a select few. At a time when the country is suffering from labor shortages, these amendments will likely attract more expats who hope to become EU citizens.


Dual citizenship used to be limited to a few expats 

Germany had been among the few countries in the European Union to restrict dual citizenship. Austria, the Netherlands, Slovakia, Lithuania and Latvia are other EU countries with similar restrictions. 


Meanwhile, other economically powerful EU countries with many immigrants, like France, Spain and Italy, have accepted dual citizenship for a very long time. Immigration powerhouses beyond the EU, like the UK, the US, Canada and Australia, also recognize dual citizenship. Germany's restrictive policies on this issue made it lose a competitive edge to these other competitors in the global race for skilled immigrants.


It's not that dual citizenship was impossible to obtain in Germany; it was just restricted to a few, highly specific cases. It was allowed for expats from other EU countries or Switzerland. It was also allowed for expats whose home countries didn't allow the forfeiting of their nationality (Morocco, Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico).


Other exceptions were made for foreigners who were hoping to acquire citizenship by descent or ancestry. It was also exceptionally allowed for first-generation Germans with one foreign-born parent and one German parent. Alternatively, these first-generation Germans could also have two foreign-born parents, as long as one of these parents had been in Germany for at least 8 years when they were born. 


A humanitarian exception could also be made for expats who could no longer renounce their previous citizenship because of old age, health problems, or financial constraints. Renouncing one's citizenship can be a costly procedure. It costs 2,350 US dollars to renounce one's American citizenship, for instance. Expats who wished to appeal to have dual citizenship had to apply for a retention permit (“Beibehaltungsgenehmigung”).


8 years of residency used to be required for naturalization

Before the latest reforms, Germany also required a longer period of residency before expats could apply for citizenship. Expats needed to have been in Germany for 8 continuous years before they were able to renounce their former citizenship and become German citizens. 


In comparison, in France, the UK, the US and the Netherlands, expats need to have lived in the country for only 5 continuous years in order to apply for citizenship. In Australia, the requirement is even lower: 4 years. In Canada, expats need to have been in the country for 3 out of the past 5 years to start the naturalization process. While it's true that Spain and Italy have an even longer waiting time (10 years), Germany still didn't offer the most competitive conditions.


The previous German government, led by Angela Merkel from 2013 to 2021, was inflexible when it came to reforming citizenship rules. In September 2021, a new ruling tripartite coalition and a new chancellor, Olaf Sholz, were elected. This new government is more willing to amend citizenship laws, especially after the pandemic created a labor shortage in the country.


More lenient citizenship laws to boost immigration

As of December 2022, the German state will finally allow dual citizenship. The previous, hyper-specific eligibility requirements for dual citizenship will become defunct, as any expat is eligible from now on. The number of years of residency to apply for citizenship will also be reduced to 5 years, so it will finally be on par with other historical lands of immigration.


Why this relaxation of the laws now? This reform will work in favor of Germany's immigration goals. The country's current immigration target is an ambitious 400,000 new skilled workers (i.e., economic migrants) per year.


Germany faces tough competition from other (often larger) immigration powerhouses which have also increased their targets, notably Canada and Australia. The pandemic, border closures and Great Recession have created labor shortages in these countries, and they are now engaged in a race to attract global talent to fill their vacancies. Easing the path to and conditions for EU citizenship will attract many skilled expats from outside the union.


Germany is experiencing a shortage of skilled workers in various sectors: healthcare, elderly care, manufacturing, construction, information technology, the natural sciences, engineering, catering, hospitality, and skilled trades (e.g., plumbing, the maintenance of electric circuits). Earlier this year, Christian Duerr, a parliamentarian of the government coalition, stressed that “the shortage of skilled workers has become so serious by now that it is dramatically slowing down our economy.” Easing citizenship laws is one of many measures the government is taking to attract immigrants. In October, they also increased the minimum wage from €10.45 to €12 to be a more attractive country to work in.


Ameerah Arjanee
About Ameerah Arjanee

Ameerah is a lecturer and private tutor who teaches Spanish and Mandarin in Mauritius. She has also been a freelance translator, editor and content writer for a decade. Having lived in both Madrid and Beijing, she enjoys traveling.


Thursday, August 25, 2022

Obiena wins gold medal in Germany



By Niel Victor C. Masoy

FILIPINO Olympian Ernest John "EJ" Obiena cleared 5.81 meters to win the men's pole vault gold medal at the Internationales Stabhochsprung-Meeting in Germany on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila).

Obiena outperformed 10 other competitors, including Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Chris Nilsen of the United States, to jumpstart a seven-event stretch on a winning note.

Nilsen bagged the silver after clearing the 5.71-meter bar. Kurtis Marschall of Australia also jumped 5.71 meters but settled for the bronze after the count back.

With his golden performance, Obiena also reached the qualifying standard for the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary.


Obiena resets PH record, wins bronze at World Athletics

"Great start for the second part of the season," the 26-year-old Obiena wrote on his Facebook page.

"We got the standard for next year's World Champs in Hungary."


Other pole vaulters who participated in the tournament included Germany's Bo Kanda, Lita Baehre and Oleg Zernikel, Norway's Sondre Guttormsen, and USA's Tray Oates.

Obiena has two more events scheduled for the week as he competes in the Lausanne Diamond League in Switzerland on August 25 and the True Athletics Classics in Germany on August 28.

He made history last month by capturing the bronze medal at the 2022 World Athletics Championships.

Obiena, the world's number three pole vaulter, was recently reinstated to the Philippine team after a run-in with the previous leadership of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association.


Monday, July 25, 2022

Germany sees alarming shortage in essential medicine


Author Sabine Kinkartz, DW


Body temperatures of up to 40°C are frequently a symptom of COVID-19, also among children. But supplies of fever-reducing antipyretics are running out. The question is: why?

It's business as usual at the Arcades Pharmacy in Berlin. Customers come and go — many of them are parents looking to stock up on medication used to combat fever and pain, which can be a problem also with a COVID-19 infection.

For younger children who can't swallow pills, there's a sweet-tasting juice containing either paracetamol or ibuprofen. Normally, more than 10 million small bottles of this medicine are sold each year. Now though, shelves are beginning to look empty.

"The paracetamol juice was already beginning to get a bit scarce back at the beginning of the year," says one chemist, who didn't want to give her name. "Meanwhile, we're out of stock on ibuprofen juice, as well as nasal spray. And supplies of fever suppositories are low."

What's more, she adds, there's no improvement in sight: "We've been stocking up for the winter, which means coordinating deliveries now. And what we're seeing is that all contracts for anti-pain and anti-fever medication for kids have been canceled."



Supply shortages, high demand

The Berlin pharmacy is no exception: supply shortages are having an impact across the country. More and more desperate parents are using social media to share their distress as they fail to bring their children's fever down or fight painful fever cramps.

Pharmaceutical companies fail to make their scheduled deliveries citing booming demand coupled with a shortage of raw materials. 

After the easing of anti-COVID-19 restrictions such as the mandatory wearing of masks, German pediatricians saw lots of children with respiratory illnesses and runny noses. And pharmacies saw customers stock-purchasing after media reports of serious bottlenecks in supply chains and delays in delivery schedules.


What really helps when we catch a cold?

The pharmaceutical industry currently faces problems with supply chains plus a lack of skilled workers. But for years now, they have not made money off producing painkillers for children. Health insurers pay €1.36 ($1.39) for a bottle of paracetamol juice. The same amount as ten years ago.

"Rapidly rising active ingredient and production prices have turned the production of drugs like paracetamol juices into a loss-making business," complains Andreas Burkhardt, general manager at the pharmaceutical company Teva. "No company can sustain that in the long run."

Pharmaceutical giant Ratiopharm still produces such medication. But now they have also canceled orders for winter stockpiling. Due to "unexpected and massively growing demand in the market" and the "increased delivery delays among our active ingredient manufacturers."

Where it leads when important drugs are no longer available became clear at the beginning of the year with the breast cancer drug Tamoxifen — a drug for which there is no substitute and which is urgently needed by many chronically ill patients.

Here too, there were serious bottlenecks partly triggered by manufacturers who had withdrawn from production, citing cost pressure.


Gynecologist explaining a diagram of a woman's breast

Germany is experiencing a shortage of Tamoxifen, a medication for breast cancer patients

In February, Germany's Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) waded in and ordered that, in light of the emergency, medicines based on Tamoxifen may now also be imported from abroad. This does not solve the supply problem; the next scarcity is expected for the second half of 2022.


Chemists again mix their own potions

Germany's BfArM currently lists more than 260 medicines that are currently not available in Germany. These include common antibiotics, thyroid medicine, blood pressure reducers, and also medicines that are urgently required in hospitals. In some cases, chemists guarantee supplies by producing their own medicines. But for that, they still need the appropriate raw materials.

"Basic materials are traded globally and there are often only a few producers of a single active ingredient, mostly in Asia. If there is for example a problem in a factory in China, or one country imposes a trade embargo, then many producers are subsequently affected," says Ursula Sellering of the German Federation of  Pharmacists.


A view of Pfizer's Paxlovid production line

Currently, good money is to be made with anti-COVID-19 drugs, such as Paxlovid


Paracetamol, too, is currently difficult to obtain on the global market. "However, if a pharmacy still has stocks, it can also produce its own anti-fever medication," says Sellering. 

That's the way it's likely to stay, he warns. "The production of medicines is time-consuming and there is a lack of staff in pharmacies and other sectors." Not to mention the costs. 

Andreas Burkhardt, at the pharma company Teva demands that "systematic financial pressure" must be eased, especially for critical medicines that are only produced by a few manufacturers." The contracts under which health insurance companies pay fixed amounts, he says, should be suspended until more and new competitors could enter the supply again.

This is not in sight, at least not according to the current ideas of the Federal Ministry of Health. The plan, it seems, is to extend the status quo —  until 2026.

Friday, July 22, 2022

Germany and Hamburg legend Uwe Seeler dies, aged 85


Uwe Seeler, hands on a balcony, smiling, in black and white


By Jens Krepela, DW


The news of Uwe Seeler's passing was confirmed by his former club, Hamburg, on Thursday, citing information received from the late striker's family.


During his playing career with Hamburg and West Germany, which spanned from the mid-1950s to the early 1970s, Uwe Seeler was known as one of the world's best strikers and had many honors bestowed upon him. 


Three times Seeler was voted West Germany's Footballer of the Year, in 1960, 1964 and 1970 — the year he was also awarded West Germany's Federal Cross of Merit. Even though he never won a title with West Germany, in 1972 he became just the second man to be named honorary captain of the national team. He helped Hamburg to a German football championship in 1960, three years before the formation of the Bundesliga, as well as a German Cup title in 1963.


However, his public image was formed not so much by his footballing achievements but more by his down-to-earth, straightforward and easy-going personality, which earned him the nickname "uns Uwe" (our Uwe).He was also widely respected for his sense of fair play, having only been sent off once in his entire career. His rejection of a high-priced offer from Inter Milan in 1961 also endeared him to the Hamburg fans.


Uwe Seeler was born into a sporting family in Hamburg on November 5, 1936. His father, Erwin Seeler, was one of the city's most popular footballers from 1920s to the 1940s, so it came as no surprise when he too joined Hamburger SV in 1946. He established himself as a top goal scorer in the Oberliga Nord (then the top tier of West German football) between 1956 and 1962. When Hamburg became one of the founding members of the Bundesliga in 1963-64, Seeler became the new league's first top scorer with 30 goals.


West Germany coach Sepp Herberger gave Seeler his first call up to the national team in 1954 and he made his first appearance at the age of just 17. However, it was at the 1958 World Cup in Sweden that he established himself as an international star. Three years later, he wore the captain's armband for the first time. In 1966 he was a member of the West German team that lost 4-2 to England in the World Cup final in London's Wembley Stadium.


Four years later, though West Germany would get their revenge in the World Cup quarterfinals in Mexico as Seeler scored with the back of his head to give them a 3-2 win over England. Shortly after that World Cup, Seeler retired from international football, making his final appearance for West Germany against Hungary in September 1970. He played his last match for Hamburg in May, 1972.


However, even in his post-playing days, Seeler was never far from the game he loved. He successfully ran a clothing company and worked as a representative for a sporting goods manufacturer. He also served as president of his beloved HSV from 1995 to 1998.


A sculpture of a replica of Seeler's right foot, was unveiled in 2005 and stands in front of Hamburg's home ground, the Volksparkstadion.


Although he has now departed, in Hamburg and throughout Germany, Seeler will always be fondly remembered as "uns Uwe" (our Uwe).

Saturday, June 11, 2022

Germany donates drone to PCG


DRONE DONATION Philippine Coast Guard (PCCG) Commandant Admiral Artemio Abu accepts the drone donated by Germany, through its Ambassador to the Philippines Anke Reiffenstuel (center) and the German Corporation for International Cooperation Country Director Immanuel Gebhardt (right). The turnover ceremony was held at the PCG headquarters in Manila on Friday, June 10, 2022. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO


By Franco Jose C. Baroña, Manila Times


THE Federal Republic of Germany has donated an unmanned aerial vehicle, commonly known as a drone, to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to support its capability development.

In the turnover ceremony at the PCG headquarters on Friday, PCG Commandant Admiral Artemio Abu expressed his gratitude to the German government represented by its Ambassador Anke Reiffenstuel and the German Corporation for International Cooperation Country Director Immanuel Gebhardt for the donation.

In his remarks, Admiral Abu recognized the emerging importance of unmanned systems in the performance of coast guard functions.

"More than its contribution to maritime surveillance for drug interdiction, illegal fishing operations, marine pollution and other nefarious activities, these UAV can improve PCG disaster response and relief operations particularly in damage assessment and in identifying areas where relief operations are badly needed," the PCG commandant said.

Abu said the UAV will also be utilized to provide imagery for reconnaissance purposes and generate high-resolution maps that can be used for a variety of maritime scenarios, such as rapid damage assessment of an oil spill incident or a quick survey of an area of interest for possible unlawful acts at sea.

"For these, the PCG and the whole Filipino nation are truly grateful to the German government. We are looking forward to our continued engagement and fostering a stronger partnership with our German friends," Abu said.

Saturday, April 23, 2022

Europe lashed by extreme weather as climate crisis grows

PARIS, France – Europe endured record extreme weather in 2021, from the hottest day and the warmest summer to deadly wildfires and flooding, the European Union’s climate monitoring service reported Friday.

While Earth’s surface was nearly 1.2 degrees Celsius warmer than pre-industrial levels last year, Europe saw an average increase of more than two degrees, a threshold beyond which dangerous extreme weather events become more likely and intense, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said.

The warmest summer on record featured a heatwave along the Mediterranean rim lasting weeks and the hottest day ever registered in Europe, a blistering 48.8C (120 degrees Fahrenheit) in Italy’s Sicily.

In Greece, high temperatures fuelled deadly wildfires described by the prime minister as the country’s “greatest ecological disaster in decades”.

Forests and homes across more than 8,000 square kilometres (3,000 square miles) were burned to the ground.

A slow-moving, low-pressure system over Germany, meanwhile, broke the record in mid-July for the most rain dumped in a single day.

The downpour was nourished by another unprecedented weather extreme, surface water temperatures over part of the Baltic Sea more than 5C above average.

Flooding in Germany and Belgium caused by the heavy rain — made far more likely by climate change, according to peer-reviewed studies — killed scores and caused billions of euros in damage.

As the climate continues to warm, flooding on this scale will become more frequent, the EU climate monitor has warned.

“2021 was a year of extremes including the hottest summer in Europe, heatwaves in the Mediterranean, flooding and wind droughts in western Europe,” C3S director Carlo Buontempo said in a statement.

“This shows that the understanding of weather and climate extremes is becoming increasingly relevant for key sectors of society.”


– ‘Running out of time’ –

The annual report, in its fifth edition, also detailed weather extremes in the Arctic, which has warmed 3C above the 19th-century benchmark — nearly three times the global average.

Carbon emissions from Arctic wildfires, mostly in eastern Siberia, topped 16 million tonnes of CO2, roughly equivalent to the total annual carbon pollution of Bolivia.

Greenland’s ice sheet — which along with the West Antarctic ice sheet has become the main driver of sea level rise — shed some 400 billion tonnes in mass in 2021.

The pace at which the world’s ice sheets are disintegrating has accelerated more than three-fold in the last 30 years.

“Scientific experts like the IPCC have warned us we are running out of time to limit global warming to 1.5C,” said Mauro Facchini, head of Earth observation at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space, referring to the UN’s science advisory panel.

“This report stresses the urgent necessity to act as climate-related extreme events are already occurring.”

Thursday, February 17, 2022

Covid: Austria and Germany decide to ease rules

 


Covid restrictions have meant limited attendances in Germany's Bundesliga but that will gradually change.


Austria and Germany have both announced plans to relax Covid-19 measures, weeks after pushing for compulsory vaccinations to curb infections.


Although unvaccinated people will still face restrictions, Germans are being promised a "freedom day" on 20 March while most measures will be dropped in Austria on 5 March.


The Omicron variant has not led to a feared surge in hospital admissions.


However, Germany's chancellor still aims to make vaccinations mandatory.


"The pandemic isn't over," said Olaf Scholz after a summit with Germany's 16 states. Legislation on compulsory jabs has been left for parliament to decide but the chancellor said it remained important especially ahead of next autumn and winter.


Austria passed a law earlier this month that made vaccination against Covid-19 mandatory, the first country in Europe to do so.


However, no-one will be penalised for breaking the law until 16 March, and the government has until then to decide whether to suspend the requirement. Chancellor Karl Nehammer said an advisory commission would recommend how best to proceed.


Much of Europe has already announced plans to loosen Covid restrictions as infections fall. Switzerland has announced that from Thursday Covid certificates are not needed to enter bars, restaurants or other indoor venues.


The Netherlands is to lift most measures by 25 February, with bars returning to normal hours and masks no longer compulsory in most settings

France has already scrapped mask requirements outdoors and aims to drop the measure indoors from mid-March if conditions allow

Norway lifted its last measures on 12 February, declaring coronavirus "no longer a major health threat to most of us"

Most restrictions have been lifted in England and some measures remain in Scotland and Wales.

Germany's leaders agreed on Wednesday to a three-step plan, starting with a raising of numbers of vaccinated and recovered people allowed to hold private indoor meetings, as well as Covid checks in non-essential shops.


From 4 March, anyone who has been vaccinated or who has recovered from Covid will be allowed into bars and hotels without a test while unvaccinated people will be let in with a test.


Then from 20 March most other restrictions will be scrapped, apart from rules on masks. Attendances at major outdoor events will go up from 10,000 to up to 25,000 (or 75% capacity) on 4 March, with the prospect of full stadiums on 20 March.


Chancellor Scholz said it was a "very special day" and Germany could look to the future with greater confidence than before. Although case numbers on Wednesday were still almost 220,000 over 24 hours, the seven-day rate of infection has fallen.


In Austria, only highly vulnerable settings such as nursing homes and hospitals will retain Covid restrictions from 5 March. Catering will be allowed overnight and Covid passes will not be needed, although masks will be needed on public transport and in essential shops.


As early as Saturday, anyone who has not been vaccinated will be allowed to enter places limited in recent months to those showing proof of vaccination or recovery.

Thursday, July 29, 2021

Coronavirus: Germany plans new COVID-19 testing rules for travelers

The Health Ministry is reportedly planning to expand obligatory testing to all travelers, even from low-risk areas. The move has been criticized for going too far, as well as for not going far enough.

The new proposal will likely not include those who have been fully vaccinated or who can show proof of having recovered from coronavirus.

German Health Minister Jens Spahn is planning compulsory coronavirus tests for travelers entering the country, regardless of where they travel from, Funke Media Group reported on Tuesday.

The ministry is aiming for "an expansion of test requirements upon entry as quickly as possible," according to a document seen by the media group. The goal is to curb the recent rapid rise in infections, especially with the highly contagious delta variant.

Currently, air passengers and people entering from high-risk areas are obliged to provide a negative test or proof that they have been fully vaccinated or have recovered from an infection.

The new rule would set a blanket requirement, not just limited to high-risk areas or certain types of transport, the report said. But it is unclear whether the change would apply to fully vaccinated people.

"The coordination in the government on this is underway," a Health Ministry spokesperson told Reuters.

Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht opposed the plan, considering blanket testing disproportionate, according to the Funke report.

The news of the plan comes shortly after German lawmakers and officials clashed over proposals to extend freedoms only for those people who have been fully vaccinated.

According to the Robert Koch Institute, the rate of infection across Germany on Tuesday averaged 14.5 new cases per 100,000 people over the past seven days. While this is still relatively low, that rate was just 4.9 on July 6. Nearly 50% of the population has been fully vaccinated.


Can testing stop a fourth wave?

Virologist Martin Stürmer welcomed the possibility of expanding of compulsory testing, saying: "We're actually already seeing that return travelers are contributing in a heightened way to bringing infections into Germany."

He told public broadcaster ZDF that vaccinated and recovered people would likely be exempt, but said such an approach would be "negligent" because even those who have been fully vaccinated can still contract the delta variant.

The virologist was skeptical about the chances of avoiding a fourth wave of infections in Germany. While the connection between infections and hospitalizations would become weaker over time, he said, there are still unknowns regarding the long-term effects of COVID-19.

"We have a virus where we still don't know exactly what consequential damage will ultimately be done," Stürmer said.

Monday, March 16, 2020

Germany to reintroduce border controls ...

... with five countries due to coronavirus crisis

UPDATE: Germany to reintroduce border controls with five countries due to coronavirus crisis
A German police officer wearing a facemask controls drivers at the French and German border between the cities of Strasbourg and Kehl on March 12, 2020 as part of measures taken due to the COVID-19 ou
15:43 CET+01:00
Germany will reintroduce border controls with France, Austria, Switzerland, Luxemburg and Denmark from Monday morning due to the coronavirus crisis, to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Interior Minister Horst Seehofer announced the closures on Sunday evening during a press conference.
"The spread of the coronavirus is progressing quickly and aggressively...one of the most important measures will be to cut off the chain of infection," Seehofer told reporters as he announced the new border controls.
The measures will take effect at 8am Monday (and from 6am on the Denmark border) with goods and cross-border commuters exempt.
German citizens and people with a residency permit will be allowed to return to the country.
People "without a significant reason to travel" and those suspected of having been infected with the virus will not be allowed to cross the affected borders, he said.
Seehofer stressed the new controls would be temporary, and would be reassessed "from time to time".
But the high point of the coronavirus crisis had not yet been reached, he warned, urging citizens to avoid social contact.
The decision had been taken after the Robert Koch Institute, which is responsible for public health in Germany, had declared that the French border region of Alsace-Lorraine as a risk area.
"This sparked a lot of questions and unrest in the neighbouring states," he said.
Germany is one of the countries worst hit by the coronavirus pandemic. The country now has more than 5,500 confirmed coronavirus cases, a jump of over 1,000 compared to Saturday. There are 12 reported deaths.

A source close to the matter had told AFP earlier on Sunday about the planned border closures, confirming a report in the German media.
The popular tabloid Bild had reported that the closures would take effect on Monday.
Closing borders was not only to contain the COVID-19 epidemic but also to prevent panic bulk purchases by foreigners, which was apparently causing supply problems in areas around the borders, according to Bild.
'Limit border crossings to a minimum'
Chancellor Angela Merkel and Seehofer met with state premiers from affected German regions on Sunday to agree the closures, the newspaper claimed.
Paris, meanwhile, said the decision had been taken in coordination with the French government.
Yet the French Interior Ministry insisted that the border would not be fully closed.
"We are going to limit border crossings to the strict minimum, while allowing people and merchandise to go through. It's not a closure," a ministry source told AFP.
While the German measures currently apply to five countries, other neighbouring countries such as Poland and the Czech Republic have also closed their borders or introduced severe restrictions.
Germany had until now resisted closing its borders so as not to endanger the Schengen agreement, which guarantees free travel between European countries and has already been put under strain in recent years by the migrant crisis and the threat of jihadist terrorism.
But with Europe now considered to be the epicentre of the pandemic, calls to close the border with France had begun to emerge shortly before Sunday's decision.
"The spread of the virus has to be slowed. The basic rule should be: anyone who doesn't urgently need to cross the border should not cross the border," said Thomas Strobl, interior minister of Baden-Wuerttemberg state, which borders France and Switzerland.

Friday, February 8, 2019

Facebook in Germany

I was glad and satisfied learning just an hour ago, that Germany's antitrust watchdog restricts Facebook's data collection via other sites.

Facebook faces restrictions in Germany on its collection of data from other sites that it owns like WhatsApp. The social media giant intends to appeal, claiming the watchdog underestimated the competition it faced. Sure, I didn't expect another reaction. But, is  the social media giant abusing its market?

Fact is: the company will only be able to use data from various non-Facebook programs and apps that it owns, such as WhatsApp and Instagram, with explicit user consent. Currently, Facebook bundles together much of the information it gleans from users across its various platforms.

Allow me quoting Mr. Andreas Mundt, president of the antitrust watchdog in Germany, who said yesterday (Thursday, February 8, 2019), "In future, Facebook will no longer be allowed to force its users to agree to the practically unrestricted collection and assigning of non-Facebook data to their Facebook accounts".

Of course, the ruling, which came after a one-year investigation, does not yet have legal force and Facebook has a month to appeal the ruling, which it says it intends to do.

"The Federal Cartel Office underestimates the fierce competition we face in Germany, misinterprets our compliance with the GDPR, and threatens the mechanism European law provides for ensuring consistent data protection standards across the EU," Facebook said.

Well, while living in the Philippines,  I am with Facebook since ten years now. Several friends of mine deleted already their Facebook accounts because they worried that the tech giants are getting more and more out of control. But, aren't all of us already sitting in a glass house?

And here the thing: WhatsApp and Instagram can still collect data from their respective users; however, pooling  this information with a user's Facebook data will only be allowed if that user provides their consent. Operating with double standard?

Facebook can only collect data from third-party websites, such as interfaces that have a "like" or "share" button, with the user's permission. If consent is not given, Facebook can only collect the data to a very limited extent.
The cartel office said that the extent to which Facebook collects data without the consent of a user is "abusive."
It said Facebook could face fines of up to 10 percent of its annual global revenue, which grew by 37 percent to $55.8 billion (€49.2 billion) in 2018, if it fails to comply. Wow.

The antitrust watchdog said Facebook dominates the German market for social networks with 23 million daily and 32 million monthly users, a market share of 95 percent. It pointed out that one of its competitors, Google+, plans to discontinue its social network by April 2019. How about the Philippine market?

However, in its calculations, the cartel office did not consider Snapchat, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Xing as competitors to Facebook. It said those services "offer only a selection of social networking services." It claimed that even if they were included, Facebook, with Instagram and WhatsApp, would still dominate the market.

Anyway, you can still email at doringklaus@gmail.com or follow me in Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin or visit my www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or www.klausdoringsclassicalmusic.blogspot.com.

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

A boost in Social Security for Overseas Workers


After the Social Security Agreement between the Philippines and Germany had been signed during the visit of President Aquino III to Germany in 2014, the exchange of the instruments of ratification took place today, 23 March 2018, in Manila. The respective governments were represented by German Ambassador to the Philippines Dr. Gordon Kricke and DFA Undersecretary for Policy Enrique A. Manalo.

The “Agreement between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Republic of the Philippines on Social Security” coordinates the respective security systems especially in the case of employees being deployed in the country of the contracting state.
In other words, qualified Filipino and German employees, who have worked in the Philippines and in Germany, will be able to combine their contributions in both countries in order to benefit from both countries’ social security systems.
Furthermore, as long as the deployment is less than 48 months, the employees have the right to stay in their original system to simplify the process.

This agreement will reinforce bilateral economic ties between the Philippines and Germany and thus create new job opportunities in each country. It shall enter into force beginning 1 June 2018.

Follow this link to see a copy of the agreement (the text in both German and English languages begins at page 419): http://www.bgbl.de/xaver/bgbl/start.xav


Saturday, February 24, 2018

German Support for Farmers in Central Luzon

By: German Embassy Manila

German support for farmers in Central Luzon alleviates poverty and stimulates entrepreneurship – an excellent example: The German embassy received a visit of a delegation of farmers from Bataan and Zambales in Central Luzon. They described vividly how their economic situation has improved as a result of support financed by the German government and provided through German Protestant Church development assistance arm "Bread for the World" together with Philippine non-profit organizations PDI and FIAN. The "Peoples' Development Institute" (PDI) which supports marginalized population groups in questions of land tenure, livelihood and empowerment showcased some of their agricultural products. The “Foodfirst Information Action Network” (FIAN) is a human rights organization that promotes the right to adequate food. The visitors shared not only their touching success stories, but also showcased some of the food items they nowadays can produce and market - concrete proof for development support leading to tangible – and delicious… - results.

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

German Embassy's Advent Series


Page Liked · December 17 
 
++ ADVENT SERIES – DELICACIES ++

In this post, we take a look at the delicacies that make our Christmas celebrations more delicious and sweeter!

“Plätzchen” are very important in the German Christmas tradition. There are countless recipes one can follow. But of course the best ones are usually those handed down by great grandmothers to younger generations. Baking cookies with the family is a common activity during the Christmas season, which fills the house with Christmas scents and warmth from the oven. It is an activity surely enjoyed by every family member (except the ones cleaning up, LOL). The baked cookies are often given as gifts to friends to spread the Christmas feeling – which is also a good excuse for you not to eat them all by yourself and gain 5 kilos!

At this time of posting, Filipinos have begun their series of “Simbang Gabi.” It is also during this period that you’ll find street vendors near the churches baking fresh “bibingka” and “puto bumbong” – two of the most iconic Filipino Christmas delicacies. Because of the abundance of rice in the country, parishioners during the Spanish era offered rice to their parishes which are in turn prepared by the priests and clergy as “bibingka” and “puto bumbong” to be shared with everyone. Preparing the bibingka is time-consuming but interesting as it is primarily sandwiched in between two pre-heated coals. The Puto Bumbong on the other hand is baked by steaming the glutinous rice in a bamboo tube until the rice (usually purple in color) rises from the tube. The best part is the signal when the dessert is cooked – the bamboo tube whistles!