Shadow economy in Brandenburg: rental car market out of control!
Shadow economy in Brandenburg: rental car market out of control!
Brandenburg, Deutschland - The situation around the rental car industry in Brandenburg is heading. Many rental car companies that are under observation due to illegal practices shift their business from Berlin to Brandenburg. This development not only alerts the authorities, but also the municipalities, which are faced with increased registrations and a difficult to control shadow economy. According to MAZ-Online, 1700 from 4300 registered rental cars Or pulled out of traffic. The vehicles, which are mostly traveling with Brandenburg license plates, find their way on platforms such as Uber, Bolt or Freenow.
The increase in rental car registrations in Brandenburg is remarkable. In Teltow-Fläming, for example, 540 registrations have been recorded in the last six months, almost twice as many as in the entire year 2024. Potsdam-Mittelmark also reported 276 new registrations by the end of March, which is also higher than in the previous year. This development encounters warnings of politicians who fear a emigration of the shadow economy. Transport Minister Detlef Tabbert emphasizes the need for close cooperation between the authorities in Berlin and Brandenburg to control dubious actors. Nicole Walter-Mundt from the CDU demands quick action to contain this problem.
The shadow economy in focus
The problems are reinforced by the fact that many illegal companies deal with social security contributions, which distorts competition. Brandenburg not only costs this, but also questions the credibility of the entire industry. The Brandenburg authorities are overloaded and have to check the authenticity of documents, which becomes a challenge for the high number of applications. In this context, the Brandenburg district council is calling for a joint database of Berlin and Brandenburg to record blocked companies. But data protection concerns are opposed.
How from rbb24 , the illegal business is also increasing, which also increases the demands to the state of Brandenburg. The situation has intensified by the increased number of applications and the attempt by many companies to escape control. Again and again it is found that vehicles of these companies are often present on Berlin's streets, which makes the controls even more difficult.
The upcoming consultations
On June 25, 2025, the authorities in Berlin and Brandenburg meet to advise on closer cooperation on the control of the rental car industry. These discussions are necessary to develop a uniform strategy to support the responsible authorities. Christiane Ullrich from the Potsdam main customs office also emphasizes that there are numerous options for a shadow economy in the rental car industry. The discussion about effective measures against illegal practices thus gains urgency.
The Brandenburg authorities are faced with a mammoth task, which is both equipped with a high workload and also brings the need to regulate the rental car market. The pressure on the ministries of transport is growing in order to not only ensure the security of customers, but also to restore fairness in the competition between reputable and dubious providers, as well as the Tagesspiegel reported.
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| Ort | Brandenburg, Deutschland |
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