https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Germany in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed A landmark agreement has been reached by the European Parliament and Council on the reform of EU rules around customs that include new measures to tackle e-commerce from non-EU countries. What will it mean for consumers? https://www.thelocal.de/20260402/shein-temu-why-european-consumers-will-pay-more-for-cheap-online-orders Thu, 02 Apr 2026 13:38:55 +0200 shein-temu-why-european-consumers-will-pay-more-for-cheap-online-orders Germany has approved 72 fully automated post office branches in locations around the country, with hundreds more to follow. So how will you be affected by the growth of automated postal services? https://www.thelocal.de/20251110/the-rise-of-unmanned-post-offices-in-germany-and-what-it-means-for-customers Mon, 10 Nov 2025 16:01:34 +0100 the-rise-of-unmanned-post-offices-in-germany-and-what-it-means-for-customers Deutsche Post’s ‘Mobile Briefmarke’ service lets you buy and use a stamp directly from your smartphone. No printer, no fuss – just your phone and a pen. https://www.thelocal.de/20250828/get-digital-postage-stamps-easily-in-germany-with-this-one-cool-trick Thu, 28 Aug 2025 16:35:24 +0200 get-digital-postage-stamps-easily-in-germany-with-this-one-cool-trick Germany's postal service announced Friday a raft of temporary restrictions on package deliveries to the United States due to tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. https://www.thelocal.de/20250822/german-post-office-restricts-packages-to-the-us-over-tariffs Fri, 22 Aug 2025 17:02:02 +0200 german-post-office-restricts-packages-to-the-us-over-tariffs Germany's postal service, Deutsche Post, said Thursday it plans to axe 8,000 jobs amid a decline in the number of letters being sent. https://www.thelocal.de/20250306/german-postal-service-to-cut-8000-jobs Thu, 06 Mar 2025 12:01:01 +0100 german-postal-service-to-cut-8000-jobs Parts of western Germany have on Thursday been hit with extensive public sector strikes - including on local transport - and a further postal strike is taking place in various parts of Germany. https://www.thelocal.de/20250206/where-strikes-are-happening-in-germany-this-week Thu, 06 Feb 2025 11:06:08 +0100 where-strikes-are-happening-in-germany-this-week As yet another postal strike hits Germany on Tuesday, we look at why we're seeing so many work stoppages involving Deutsche Post and DHL workers at the moment. https://www.thelocal.de/20250204/why-germany-is-seeing-postal-strikes-almost-every-day Tue, 04 Feb 2025 13:36:18 +0100 why-germany-is-seeing-postal-strikes-almost-every-day Following a warning strike in major German cities, Deutsche Post employees in rural parts of Germany have also been called to walk out. It's resulting in major disruption across the country. https://www.thelocal.de/20250129/major-mail-disruption-across-germany-as-postal-strikes-hit-rural-areas Wed, 29 Jan 2025 17:01:52 +0100 major-mail-disruption-across-germany-as-postal-strikes-hit-rural-areas If you're expecting a letter this week, don't expect it to arrive on time. Mail and parcel deliveries are delayed as postal workers across Germany engage in strikes on Tuesday. https://www.thelocal.de/20250128/which-german-cities-are-affected-by-the-deutsche-post-strikes Tue, 28 Jan 2025 11:27:11 +0100 which-german-cities-are-affected-by-the-deutsche-post-strikes Door to door deliveries are expensive whereas dropping deliveries at parcel hubs and lockers is easier. Therefore DHL and other German postal service providers are planning to grow the number of pick-up lockers. https://www.thelocal.de/20250121/dhl-aims-to-double-parcel-self-pick-ups-in-germany Tue, 21 Jan 2025 11:08:48 +0100 dhl-aims-to-double-parcel-self-pick-ups-in-germany A reform to Germany's Postal Act has been passed by parliament, marking the first major change to the country's postal system since 1997. Going forward customers can expect letters to arrive a couple days later. https://www.thelocal.de/20240614/post-in-germany-to-arrive-later-after-parliament-passes-landmark-reform Fri, 14 Jun 2024 13:28:20 +0200 post-in-germany-to-arrive-later-after-parliament-passes-landmark-reform As a result of the planned reform of Germany's Postal Act, sending a letter via snail mail is likely to take considerably longer in future. https://www.thelocal.de/20240222/why-postal-delivery-times-in-germany-likely-to-become-slower Thu, 22 Feb 2024 11:47:41 +0100 why-postal-delivery-times-in-germany-likely-to-become-slower People living in DACH countries (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) can expect to receive their post more efficiently than anywhere else in the world - at least according to the latest Postal Development Report. https://www.thelocal.de/20231031/germany-ranked-as-having-third-best-postal-service-in-the-world Tue, 31 Oct 2023 14:39:17 +0100 germany-ranked-as-having-third-best-postal-service-in-the-world Germany's postal operator Deutsche Post is courting controversy with plans for longer delivery times and pricier 'priority' mail. https://www.thelocal.de/20231012/how-deutsche-post-wants-to-create-a-two-tier-system-for-mail-in-germany Thu, 12 Oct 2023 15:22:25 +0200 how-deutsche-post-wants-to-create-a-two-tier-system-for-mail-in-germany Police in Cologne are investigating a former postman who appears to have stockpiled thousands of undelivered letters in his home. https://www.thelocal.de/20151207/postman-found-hoarding-1-tonne-of-letters Mon, 07 Dec 2015 16:32:41 +0100 postman-found-hoarding-1-tonne-of-letters