Germany Moves to Abolish 'Supervised Drinking' Exception for 14 and 15-Year-Olds

Germany's Federal Minister for Education, Family, Seniors, Women and Youth Karin Prien has drafted legislation to abolish the so-called "supervised drinking" exception that currently allows 14- and 15-year-olds to purchase and consume beer, wine, and sparkling wine in public when accompanied by a legal guardian. A ministry spokeswoman confirmed the draft bill on Sunday, following initial reporting by the Politico news portal. The proposal would amend the Youth Protection Act to remove the exception entirely, meaning alcohol would be off limits for all young people under the age of 16 regardless of parental presence. The draft states that the change follows "the approach of taking the growing problem of addiction seriously," and warns that consequences can range "from health risks to violent behavior and neglect." The ministry said preventive measures are needed to protect children and young people from "everyday addictions."

Bundesrat and health officials had already pushed for the ban The proposal did not emerge in isolation. The Bundesrat voted by a majority in September 2025 in favor of abolishing supervised drinking, stating in its resolution that scientific studies prove young people react particularly sensitively to alcohol and that "drinking under supervision" is not protective in nature but instead encourages risky alcohol consumption. The Bundesrat's initiative was brought forward by Bavaria. Federal Health Minister Nina Warken of the CDU had already spoken positively about the plans before the draft was published. The federal government's commissioner for addiction issues, Hendrik Streeck, has also repeatedly advocated abolishing the exception. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's Health Minister Stefanie Drese of the SPD described the current regulation as an "anachronistic regulation" that is unique in Europe and runs counter to youth protection goals, citing studies linking early alcohol consumption to problematic drinking behavior in adulthood. The Health Ministers' Conference had also passed a corresponding resolution calling for the change.

Public opinion backs the change, survey data shows A survey conducted by the Forsa Institute, commissioned by KKH Kaufmännische Krankenkasse, found that 65 (percent) — of Germans support abolishing supervised drinking. A narrow majority of respondents, at 52 percent, also said beer and wine should no longer be available to those aged 16 but only from the age of 18, going further than Prien's current proposal. The Bundesrat resolution noted that alcohol consumption at ages 14 and 15 carries high risks, particularly because the brain is in a vulnerable phase of maturation during puberty. Early initial consumption is also linked to later risky consumption patterns involving alcohol and other substances. The Tagesspiegel reported that the existing exception "stood in clear contradiction to the goal of consistent youth protection," according to the Bundesrat's own wording. Germany's Youth Protection Act has long permitted 14- and 15-year-olds to consume beer, wine, and sparkling wine under parental supervision, a rule described by critics as unique in Europe. The previous coalition government, known informally as the traffic light coalition, had also sought to abolish supervised drinking but did not complete the legislative process before its early collapse. The current government is a CDU/CSU-SPD coalition under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who took office in May 2025.

Bill bundled into broader youth welfare reform, slowing its passage The amendment to the Youth Protection Act has been folded into a larger bill reforming child and youth welfare, a legislative approach that critics and observers note allows ministries to avoid separate parliamentary debates and committee hearings — a practice sometimes referred to as omnibus legislation. The draft is currently being coordinated with federal states and associations and is not expected to be passed by the Bundestag until the end of 2026. Die Welt noted that the ministry's decision to bundle the alcohol rule change into the larger welfare reform was "surprising" given that the two measures are substantively independent. Under the current law that would remain in place for those aged 16 and above, beer, wine, and sparkling wine remain legal for purchase and consumption, while high-proof spirits are prohibited until the age of majority. The bill's passage timeline means that the supervised drinking exception will remain in force for at least several more months while the broader legislative process runs its course.

Alcohol rules for minors under proposed reform: 14–15 year-olds with guardian present (before: May buy and consume beer, wine, sparkling wine, after: Alcohol prohibited entirely); 16–17 year-olds (before: May buy and consume beer, wine, sparkling wine, after: No change proposed); Under 16 without guardian (before: Alcohol prohibited, after: Alcohol prohibited (unchanged))