Germany has enacted a law on the modernization of military service that introduces new rules for foreign travel for men aged 17 to 45, Berliner Zeitung reports.

Under the new regulations, men in this age group must obtain prior approval from Bundeswehr recruitment and career centers if they plan to leave the country for more than three months. The requirement applies regardless of the purpose of travel, including studying abroad or visiting relatives.

The report notes that many citizens were unaware of the new rules and have formally violated the law. The first consequences began to appear three months after it came into force: individuals who left earlier have started receiving notices requiring them to return to Germany promptly and explain their stay abroad. The military authorities say that for now the focus is mainly on informing citizens, but records of violations are already being kept.

Previously, such restrictions applied only under emergency conditions, such as rising external threats or a declared state of defense. Now similar rules are enforced in peacetime.

The Bundeswehr acknowledged that the mechanism of liability for violations is still being developed, but violators are already being tracked.

Experts link these measures to plans to expand Germany’s armed forces. Over the next decade, the Bundeswehr aims to increase its personnel from about 185,000 to 270,000. In this context, monitoring potential conscripts is becoming part of кадровой политики. Military service for women remains voluntary.