A glass of sparkling wine for a grandchild at a birthday celebration, or a beer for a young guest at a wedding: in Germany, allowing teenagers to have an alcoholic drink in the company of their parents has long been part of social life.
But that tradition could soon come to an end.
The German Cabinet on Wednesday approved plans to scrap a rule that currently allows 14- and 15-year-olds to drink beer, wine or sparkling wine when accompanied by a responsible adult.
The proposal, put forward by Family Minister Karin Prien of the centre-right CDU, will soon be debated in the Bundestag.
The government had previously considered raising the legal drinking age to 18. Instead, it aims to remove the special provision for younger teenagers, meaning the existing age limit of 16 for consuming beer, wine and sparkling wine will continue to apply – but without the exception.
"The exemption in the Youth Protection Act, which permits 14- and 15-year-olds to consume or purchase alcoholic drinks when accompanied by a person with parental responsibility, will be abolished," the draft states.
Prien argues that the current exemption weakens efforts to protect young people from the health and social consequences of alcohol, and goes against the government's goal of strengthening addiction prevention.
The proposal comes after growing concern among health officials about alcohol consumption among young people.
However, alcohol use rates were already declining. A 2024 study found that 6.9 percent of girls and 12.4 percent of boys aged between 12 and 17 drank alcohol at least once a week, less than half the number that did so in 2004.
What are Germany's drinking laws?
Germany's laws allowing younger people to drink may seem lax compared to many other countries.
Under Germany's current Youth Protection Act, 16- and 17-year-olds can buy and consume beer, wine, sparkling wine and drinks made from them in public.
Harder liquors – such as schnapps, vodka and whisky – remain restricted to those aged 18 and over.
At the moment, 14- and 15-year-olds can consume beer, wine or sparkling wine in public when accompanied by a parent or another adult with parental responsibility. If the proposed reform becomes law, this exemption would disappear.
In neighbouring France alcohol cannot legally be sold or offered to anyone under 18 in public, and there is no exception for teenagers.
Due to the risks of addiction, Germany's state health ministers spoke out in favour of a ban last year, and the Bundesrat launched a corresponding initiative.
The Federal Government’s Drug Commissioner, Hendrik Streeck, also spoke out in favour of the ban.
The Cabinet's decision is the first step. The proposal still needs to be approved by the Bundestag and Bundesrat before the change would be written into law.
