Matthias Miersch rejects wider Sunday shop openings as Austria’s NEOS pushes for liberalisation

SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch said there is no justification for expanding Sunday retail hours in Germany. He noted that the coalition agreement already allows longer opening times for bakeries, patisseries and libraries, and that any further change to the constitutionally protected Sunday rest would require a two‑thirds majority in Bundestag and Bundesrat. Miersch rejected a proposal from the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) and its president Peter Adrian, who called for a constitutional amendment to permit permanent Sunday trading.

In Austria, the liberal NEOS party pressed for nationwide Sunday opening rules, arguing that owner‑run shops and automated stores should be allowed to operate on Sundays and public holidays. NEOS spokesperson Markus Hofer warned that current restrictions cause billions of euros in lost turnover. The GPA trade union, represented by Barbara Teiber, countered that 97 % of retail employees oppose regular Sunday work, stressing the importance of the day for family life and questioning the claimed economic benefits.