Although over 70% of German consumers prefer digital payments, many small businesses still don’t accept them—unlike peers in countries like Sweden and the Netherlands. Read more

On April 9, 2024, Germany’s coalition government announced that the reduced 7% VAT rate for restaurant and café food will return on January 1, 2026. Originally introduced in 2020 as a COVID-19 relief measure, the rate had expired in early 2024. Its reinstatement is part of the government’s broader economic strategy. On April 9, 2024, Germany’s new coalition government (CDU and SPD) announced... Read more

S4F backoffice patch is intended for users who have already installed S4F backoffice and are intended to update existing installations to latest version. To do so apply only patches that are marked with version number that is newer than your currently installed instance of backoffice. Read more

Starting in 2025, many German businesses using hardware-based technical security systems (TSS) for cash registers will face expiring certificates issued under the 2020 Cash Register Security Ordinance. Read more

Starting January 1, 2025, e-invoicing is mandatory for all domestic B2B transactions in Germany as part of the Growth Opportunities Act. Only structured electronic formats like XRechnung and ZUGFeRD (v2.0.1+) are accepted, and businesses must be able to receive and process these invoices without requiring recipient consent. Companies must update their invoicing systems to comply or risk penalties,... Read more

A new EU Trust List format, TLv6, will officially replace TLv5 in May 2025 as part of the updated eIDAS Regulation (EU 2024/1183). It introduces key technical changes like a new URI field, updated signature format, and optional phone number support. Organizations must update their systems to avoid signature validation failures and service disruptions, as TLv5 will no longer be valid once TLv6 take... Read more