News in Germany – December 2023
- The New Law on Citizenship
- Schufa Score
- The New Law on Citizenship Delayed Again
News, December 2023
The New Law on Citizenship: Shorter Time to German Citizenship and the Possibility of Dual Citizenship
01.12.2023
The German Bundestag introduced a citizenship bill today, aiming to reduce the naturalization process to 3 to 5 years from the current 8 years. The proposed law also eliminates the requirement to renounce one’s original citizenship. Pending approvals, it is expected to take effect in April 2024.
The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) Decided on the Schufa Score
07.12.2023
According to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) verdict on 7th December 2023, the German Schufa score must not be decisive for creditworthiness. If the creditworthiness depends solely on the score of the person concerned, then automated data collection is prohibited. Because such “profiling” can discriminate against people, according to the judges of the CJEU.
However, European law also allows special national rules that permit more data storage. This is the case according to German law. However, according to the CJEU, German law may violate the principles of European law because it does not protect people adequately.
Now, the German Administrative Court in Wiesbaden must clarify whether German law violates the principles of European law or not.
German Dual Citizenship Law Delayed Again
14.12.2023
The progress of Germany’s dual citizenship law has once again come to a halt due to disagreements between the FDP and its coalition partners, the SPD and Greens. The primary point of contention, as reported by Deutsche Presse-Agentur, centers around an amendment concerning the withholding of citizenship for non-EU residents in Germany who have previously received unemployment benefits (Arbeitslosengeld or Bürgergeld). These disagreements have contributed to the current pause in the legislative process.