German workers could face having wages reduced for taking sick days under proposals being discussed by political leaders and business groups, according to reports in the German and international press. No national law has been passed, and no formal legislation has yet been introduced, but the debate has focused on whether current rules are too costly for employers and the wider economy.

The discussion follows renewed attention on sickness absence in Germany, where employees took an average of 14.8 sick days per year, one of the higher recorded rates in Europe according to figures cited in recent reports. Supporters of reform argue that long absences and short-term sickness leave create pressure for businesses already dealing with weak economic growth and labour shortages. Germany has long offered stronger income protection during illness than many other countries. In most cases, employees who are unable to work due to sickness continue to receive their full salary from their employer for up to six weeks. If illness continues beyond that period, statutory health insurers can then provide sickness benefit under separate rules.

First-Day Pay Changes Reportedly Under Consideration

One proposal reported in the media would allow employers to cut or remove pay from the first day of sickness absence in some cases. Another reported idea would reward workers with low absence records through an additional day of annual leave. Neither measure has been approved, and ministers have not announced a final policy.

The proposals have been linked to Chancellor Friedrich Merz and members of the governing coalition, although details remain unclear. Reports suggest the aim would be to discourage workers from taking time off for minor illnesses while maintaining support for more serious medical conditions. No draft legislation has been published at federal level. Any legal change would require formal government backing and would likely face scrutiny from parliament, employers’ organisations, unions and legal experts. Germany’s labour protections are well established, meaning changes to sickness pay would almost certainly prompt significant public and political debate before becoming law.

Existing Rules Already Allow Some Employer Controls

Current German rules already require employees to notify employers when they are unable to work through illness. Employers may also request medical proof of incapacity from the first day of absence, although many workplaces ask for it later. In practice, requirements can vary depending on contracts, company policy and collective agreements. That means businesses already have some tools to monitor absence without changing the wider pay system. Critics of the new proposals argue that enforcement of existing rules should be considered before reducing wages for genuine sickness. They also warn that many illnesses cannot be judged by appearance alone and that employees may feel pressured to work when they should be recovering.

Health specialists have long warned that presenteeism, where people attend work while ill, can reduce productivity and spread infection in offices, factories and public-facing workplaces. Opponents of wage cuts say financial penalties could increase that risk, particularly during winter periods when respiratory illnesses are more common. Wider Economic Pressures Behind the Debate The discussion comes at a time when Germany is under pressure to improve economic performance after a period of weak growth. Employers in several sectors have complained about costs, staffing shortages and declining competitiveness. Some business figures say lower absence rates would help output and ease pressure on remaining staff.

Trade unions and employee groups are expected to resist any attempt to reduce earnings during illness. They are likely to argue that workers should not bear the cost of economic problems through lower pay when they are unwell. Labour representatives have also previously said trust between employers and staff could be damaged by policies built around suspicion of abuse. For now, the issue remains a political discussion rather than a confirmed legal reform. German workers have not lost existing sick pay rights, and no nationwide wage deduction for taking a sick day has been enacted. Whether the proposals develop into legislation will depend on decisions still to be taken in Berlin.

A nine-year-old boy has been rescued in eastern France after police discovered he had been living inside a van for more than a year, according to French authorities and international news agencies reporting on the case.

The child was found in the Alsace region after a neighbour raised concerns. The alert prompted police to investigate a parked vehicle where they discovered the boy inside in a severely neglected condition. He was taken into care and received urgent medical attention.

French prosecutors confirmed that the child had been living in the van with his father and the father’s partner. Authorities said the situation had continued since 2024 and involved prolonged confinement in conditions described as unsuitable for a child.

Discovery after neighbour raised alarm

The case came to light after a neighbour reported unusual circumstances involving the vehicle. According to local reports, concerns were raised after hearing noises and noticing signs that someone may have been living inside the van over an extended period.

Police officers attended the location and inspected the vehicle, where they found the child. Authorities have not disclosed the exact location beyond confirming it took place in Alsace, a region in eastern France close to the German border.

Following the discovery, the boy was removed from the van and placed under immediate protection. Emergency services assessed his condition before transferring him to medical care.

Condition of the child at the time of rescue

Officials said the boy was found in a state of severe neglect. He was reported to be undernourished and in poor physical condition. Medical assessments indicated he had significant difficulties with mobility at the time of his rescue.

Authorities have not released full medical details, but confirmed that the child required hospital treatment following his removal from the vehicle. He remains under the care of child protection services.

French media reports, citing investigators, indicated that the child had limited access to appropriate living conditions during the period in which he was confined to the van.

Duration of confinement and living conditions

Prosecutors stated that the boy had been living in the vehicle for more than a year, with the arrangement beginning in 2024. The van was used as the family’s primary living space during this period.

Investigators said the conditions inside the vehicle were not suitable for long-term habitation, particularly for a child of school age. The case has been treated as one involving neglect and deprivation of care.

Authorities have not provided further detail on the daily circumstances inside the van, but confirmed that the child’s situation had persisted over an extended period before intervention took place.

Arrest and legal proceedings

The child’s father has been arrested in connection with the case. French prosecutors have opened an investigation into allegations of neglect and unlawful confinement of a minor.

The father’s partner has also been placed under judicial supervision while inquiries continue. Authorities are examining the circumstances that led to the child living in the vehicle and whether failures in safeguarding occurred.

The case is being handled by the public prosecutor’s office in the region, which is coordinating with child protection services and law enforcement.

Child protection response

Following his rescue, the boy was placed under the care of social services. Officials confirmed that safeguarding measures were put in place immediately after his discovery, including medical evaluation and protective accommodation.

Child welfare authorities in France are responsible for determining long-term arrangements, including whether the child will be placed in foster care or other protective settings while legal proceedings continue.

No further details about the child’s identity have been released in order to protect his privacy.

Wider context of the investigation

The case has prompted renewed attention in France on child safeguarding mechanisms and the detection of hidden neglect situations. Authorities rely heavily on local reporting and welfare checks to identify vulnerable children in non-standard living situations.

Investigators have not suggested that the case is linked to any wider network or similar incidents. It is being treated as an individual case involving a specific family situation.

Officials are continuing to gather evidence, including interviews and forensic analysis of the vehicle and living conditions, as part of the ongoing investigation.

Next steps in the case

The father remains in custody while questioning continues. Prosecutors are expected to decide on formal charges once the investigation is complete. The partner remains under judicial supervision and may face further legal assessment depending on the outcome of ongoing inquiries.

Child protection services will continue to oversee the boy’s care. Authorities have not provided a timeline for court proceedings or long-term placement decisions. For now, the focus remains on the child’s recovery and ensuring stable care arrangements following his removal from the van.

The European Union’s Entry/Exit System (EES) has recorded more than 27,000 refusals of entry at external Schengen borders during its early rollout phase, according to figures attributed to the European Commission and reported through aggregated operational data shared with member states.

The refusals were recorded across multiple participating countries, including Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Greece, Portugal and the Netherlands. These states manage some of the busiest external Schengen entry points, including major airports, seaports and land crossings where non-EU nationals enter the bloc.

The data relates to the early implementation phase of the EES, which is being introduced across Schengen external borders to replace manual passport stamping with a digital system recording entries and exits for non-EU nationals.

Digital system replaces passport stamps with biometric checks

The Entry/Exit System applies to non-EU nationals travelling for short stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. It replaces passport stamping with an electronic register that logs each entry and exit.

Travellers are required to provide biometric data, including fingerprints and a facial image, when first entering through a participating border point after the system becomes active there. This data is stored and reused for future crossings, allowing identity checks to be carried out more quickly.

The system is operated by national border authorities across participating states. It records movement data centrally but does not determine whether a traveller is allowed to enter. Decisions remain with border officers applying existing EU rules.

Refusals recorded across major EU entry countries

During the initial phase, more than 52 million border crossings were logged. Within that total, over 27,000 individuals were refused entry at external Schengen borders.

Refusals were reported across high-traffic entry states. Spain and France, which handle large volumes of air and tourist arrivals, processed significant numbers of entries under the system. Italy and Greece recorded activity linked to maritime routes in the Mediterranean as well as airport arrivals.

Germany and the Netherlands contributed through major international airports, while Portugal and smaller external border states recorded lower volumes but still formed part of the overall dataset.

The European Commission has not published a full breakdown by country, meaning the 27,000 figure reflects a combined total rather than individual national refusal rates.

Reasons for refusal unchanged under EU law

The introduction of the EES has not changed the legal basis for refusing entry into the Schengen area. Border officials continue to apply the Schengen Border Code.

Entry can be refused for reasons including invalid travel documents, lack of evidence of the purpose of stay, insufficient financial means, visa or permit issues, or previous breaches of permitted stay limits.

The system itself does not make decisions. It records travel data and provides border officials with access to information such as previous entries, exits and alerts that may support checks at the border.

As a result, the 27,000 refusals reflect enforcement decisions made by national authorities, not automated outcomes generated by the system.

Security alerts account for small share of cases

Around 700 of the refusals were linked to individuals flagged through security-related alerts. These alerts are drawn from EU and national databases used for immigration enforcement and law enforcement cooperation.

Such alerts can relate to previous overstays, immigration breaches, or travel restrictions issued by national authorities. They do not all indicate serious criminal activity.

The system connects with wider EU databases, including the Schengen Information System, which allows member states to share alerts and check individuals against common records.

Early operational effects at border points

The introduction of the system has affected border processing in some locations during the initial registration phase.

At major airports in Spain, France and Germany, including Madrid-Barajas, Paris Charles de Gaulle and Frankfurt, border authorities reported longer processing times for first-time registrations as biometric data was collected.

Italy and Greece also saw operational adjustments at airports and seaports, particularly during peak travel periods when passenger flows were highest. These countries manage significant seasonal traffic from both tourism and maritime routes.

Once travellers are registered, repeat crossings are processed more quickly because biometric verification replaces full re-registration.

Part of wider EU border reforms

The Entry/Exit System forms part of a wider reform of EU border management. It is intended to operate alongside the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS), which will require visa-exempt travellers to obtain pre-travel authorisation before entering the Schengen area once fully implemented.

EU officials say the systems are intended to improve tracking of short stays, reduce overstays and provide more consistent records of movement across external borders.

The rollout of the EES is being phased across member states, with different border points adopting the system at different times depending on infrastructure readiness and passenger volumes.

Early data still under review

The European Commission and national border authorities are continuing to assess the early operational data from the system’s rollout.

At this stage, the figures are considered an initial snapshot of border activity rather than a final evaluation. Further reporting is expected once full implementation is complete across all external Schengen borders.

The 27,000 refusals recorded so far illustrate how existing border rules are being applied under a new digital recording system and reflect the scale of movement into the Schengen area.