DUTY-FREE SHOPPING
Overview
According to politicsezine, the following articles can be imported into Germany duty-free by people who are at least 17 years old (when entering from non-EU countries):
200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco;
1 liter of spirits with an alcohol content of more than 22% or 2 liters of spirits with an alcohol content of not more than 22% or sparkling wine;
4 l table wine;
16 l of beer;
Gifts / other goods up to a total value of € 430 (air and sea travel) or € 300 (travel by train / car); Children under 15 years of age generally € 175.
Tobacco products and alcohol may only be imported duty-free by people aged 17 and over.
Imported wine that exceeds the alcohol content is taxed at 19%.
Import restrictions
The import, transit and export of weapons and ammunition is only permitted under strict legal requirements. Because of the protection of species, strict regulations also apply to the import, transit and export of numerous animal and plant species.
Import regulations
Travelers who bring meat and milk products into the EU from outside the European Union must register them. The regulation does not apply to the import of animal products from the EU countries as well as from Andorra, Liechtenstein, Norway, San Marino and Switzerland. Anyone who does not register these products must expect fines or criminal penalties.
Prohibited imports
The import, transit and export of illegal drugs is prohibited.
There is a general import ban on live poultry, meat and meat products from third countries (with the exception of the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland).
Import / export to the EU
The movement of goods within the EU is unrestricted for travelers, provided that the goods are intended for personal use and not for resale. In addition, the goods must not have been bought in duty-free shops. Proof of personal needs can be requested from travelers. Member States have the right to impose excise duties on spirits or tobacco products when these products are not intended for personal use.
The following maximum quantities apply as personal requirements:
800 cigarettes (people aged 17 and over), attention: from Bulgaria, Hungary, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania and Romania up to December 31, 2017, a maximum of 300 cigarettes (people aged 17 and over);
400 cigarillos (people aged 17+);
200 cigars (people 17+);
1 kg of tobacco (people aged 17 and over);
10 liters of high-proof alcoholic beverages (people aged 17 and over);
10 liters of alcoholic sweet drinks (people aged 17 and over);
20 liters of intermediate products (e.g. liqueur wine, vermouth wine) (people aged 17 and over);
60 liters of sparkling wine (people aged 17+);
Wine (without a fixed guide amount) (people aged 17 and over);
110 liters of beer (people aged 17+);
10 kg of coffee;
10 kg of products containing coffee.
Perfumes and eau de toilette: No restrictions if it can be shown that the amount is for personal consumption.
Medicines: amount according to personal needs during the trip.
Other goods: The movement of goods within the EU is unrestricted for travelers. However, gold alloys and gold plating in the unprocessed state or as a semi-finished product and fuel are excluded from this. Fuel may only be imported from an EC member state exempt from mineral oil tax if it is in the vehicle’s tank or in a reserve container carried with it. A fuel quantity of up to 10 liters in the reserve tank will not be rejected.
If additional quantities of these goods are carried, z. B. a wedding an event with which a bulk purchase could be justified.
Note: There are, however, certain exceptions to the regulation of the unrestricted movement of goods. They particularly concern the purchase of new vehicles and purchases for commercial purposes. (For more information on taxes on motor vehicles, see the European Commission’s guide “Buying goods and services in the internal market”).
EU
Duty-free sales at airports and shipping ports have been abolished for travel within the EU. Only travelers who leave the EU can shop cheaply in the duty-free shop. When importing goods into an EU country that were bought in duty-free shops in another EU country, the same travel allowances and the same travel allowance apply as when entering from non-EU countries.
SHOP
Overview
In many larger cities, nicely laid out pedestrian zones with cozy cafés and bistros invite you to go shopping. The Königsallee in Düsseldorf, the Kurfürstendamm in Berlin and the Zeil in Frankfurt are particularly well known.
Popular souvenirs are optical devices such as binoculars and cameras, porcelain, hand-blown glass and crystal, silver and steel goods, knives from Solingen, leather goods, sporting goods, Black Forest cuckoo clocks, toys from Nuremberg and Bavarian loden. Nice souvenirs from East Germany are musical instruments, carved wooden toys from the Ore Mountains and Meissen porcelain.
In almost all cities there are weekly markets where fresh fruit and vegetables and other products from the region are offered. Probably the most famous market is the Viktualienmarkt in Munich.
Opening hours
Generally Mon-Fri 8 a.m. / 9 a.m.-8 p.m. / 10 p.m., Sat until 4 p.m., on the four Saturdays before Christmas until 6 p.m. In small towns, shops are often closed between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Some retailers outside the city center close on Wednesday afternoons.
Exceptions:
Shops are allowed to open around the clock on working days in the following federal states:
Baden-Württemberg,
Berlin,
Brandenburg,
Bremen,
Hamburg,
Hesse,
Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania,
Lower Saxony,
North Rhine-Westphalia,
Saxony-Anhalt,
Schleswig-Holstein and
Thuringia.
In Berlin, the shops are allowed to open on Advent Sundays from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. In Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony, the shops can remain open until 10 p.m. on working days. The other federal states may also want to stop closing in the near future.