Former Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer is on trial for perjury related to a failed car toll scheme. The trial commenced at the Berlin District Court on September 21, 2026. Scheuer and his co-defendant, Gerhard Schulz, a former state secretary, are accused of lying to a parliamentary committee investigating the toll scheme that was proposed approximately seven years ago. Both defendants deny the charges.
The charges stem from allegations that they misled the committee regarding a contract signed with a company to manage the toll operations, despite being aware that the European Court of Justice (ECJ) was likely to rule the scheme illegal. The toll plan, devised by Scheuer's party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), aimed to charge all drivers while compensating German motorists through reduced vehicle taxes. The ECJ declared the scheme illegal in 2019, leading to the German government incurring €243 million ($283 million) in damages to the involved companies.
The trial is scheduled to last for 12 days, with a verdict anticipated on November 25. If convicted, Scheuer and Schulz could face prison sentences ranging from three months to five years.
In other news, German exports of passenger cars decreased by 4% up to the end of July 2026 compared to the same period last year, according to new figures from the Federal Statistical Office. Approximately 2 million cars were exported, valued at €73.5 billion ($84.4 billion), which is 8.9% less than the previous year. Imports of new passenger cars, however, increased by 16% to around 1.3 million vehicles, with Chinese vehicles becoming the leading import at 175,000 units, marking a 120.9% increase from the January-July period in 2025.
Additionally, German cherry farmers reported a harvest of about 48,500 metric tons (53,462 US tons) of cherries this summer, 7.8% above the 10-year average. The harvest included 80.2% sweet cherries and 19.8% sour cherries. Pear growers also experienced a fruitful season, with estimates indicating a harvest 7.7% higher than the average over the past decade, although it was down 3.3% from last year. This positive fruit harvest occurred despite challenges faced by Germany's grain production due to hot summer conditions.