10 Jul 2012

Youth curfew plan in Germany

6:30 am on 10 July 2012

Children in Germany could be barred from going to evening pop concerts and sports fan zones without an adult chaperone if a proposed curfew to try to curb binge drinking, becomes law.

Government statistics show the number of young people in the 15-20 age bracket ending up in hospital with alcohol poisoning rose by nearly 3% in 2010 from the year before.

A bill promoted by Family Minister Kristina Schroeder proposes that children under 16 would be barred from taking part in public events where alcohol is available after 8pm and young people aged 16 - 18 would not be able to do so after midnight.

Young people would be allowed to stay in these spaces after the new curfew only if accompanied by their parents or by a person with parental power. The age of the accompanying person would be also raised from 18 to 21.

Public events include concerts, Christmas markets and sport fan zones.