Status Forces Agreement Germany

The right of presence of former Soviet forces on the territory of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR) was governed by the Treaty on Relations between the GDR and the Soviet Union of 20 September 1955. The subsequent withdrawal of Soviet forces was signed by two treaties concluded in 1990 with the former Soviet Union (Treaty on the Conditions of Temporary Residence and the Modalities for the Gradual Withdrawal of Soviet Forces from the Territory of the Federal Republic of Germany of 12 1991 II p.256) and the Agreement on Certain Provisional Measures of 9 October 1990 (BGBl. 1990 II p.1653). 1991 II p.447). The total withdrawal of former Soviet forces from Germany was achieved in 1994. The presence of foreign armed forces on German territory requires a special legal basis. A distinction must be made between the right of presence and the law governing that presence. The right of presence derives from the formal agreement required by the Federal Republic of Germany on the presence of foreign armed forces on its territory. The right of residence of their presence covers all legal provisions to which foreign forces are subject while they are on German soil. For each operation abroad, the status of the Bundeswehr is governed by a bilateral or multilateral agreement with the host country. The presence of NATO troops stationed in Germany on the basis of a special agreement is made by the NATO Agreement (SOFA) of 19 June 1951 (Agreement between the Parties to the North Atlantic Treaty on the Status of their Armed Forces, BGBl. 1961 II p.1190) and by the SOFA Additional Agreement of 3 June 1951.

August 1959 (Agreement supplementing the Agreement between the parties to the North Atlantic Treaty on the status of their armed forces with regard to foreign armed forces stationed in the Federal Republic of Germany, BGBl. 1961 II p.1218). The supplementary agreement contains detailed provisions on all matters relating to troops stationed in Germany. After German unification, it was profoundly revised by the Agreement of 18 March 1993 (BGBl. 1994 II p.2594). Some items are rationed because a separate agreement between Britain and Germany explicitly limits the amount of cigarettes and tobacco, whiskey, gin and coffee a person can buy duty-free, which is why your NAAFI ration card must be filled out every time you buy these products. In order not to exceed the allowance of these goods, they can also not be purchased tax-free in external stores: for example, if you make your weekly purchases at REWE with a tax free form, you can not buy rationed items (for example. B a glass of coffee or a pack of cigarettes) as part of your tax-exempt „Big Shops“. Please remember that if rationed items are included on the receipt of a larger duty-free purchase, the tax must be refunded on the entire purchase (yes, the total amount of weekly purchases!), not just on the rationed item, and you may be subject to disciplinary action…