Monika Schnitzer, the chair of Wirtschaftswissen, warned against adopting the price‑caps on gasoline and diesel that Luxembourg has implemented. Speaking to the Rheinische Post on Wednesday, she argued that the proposal is economically unconvincing.
Schnitzer explained that Luxembourg’s statutory maximum price is almost at market level and requires no subsidies. The higher prices in Germany arise chiefly from lower excise taxes and duties-energy tax, CO₂ price and VAT-while the underlying market price is nearly identical. A genuine price ceiling below market level would directly cut the margins of refineries and service stations, dampening long‑term incentives for supply and infrastructure. She cautioned that to maintain comparable prices, the state would have to offset the difference, a measure that would cost the country double‑digit billions each year. Legally, such an intervention could only be temporary and would be subject to strict EU and constitutional limits.
These concerns come as SPD leader Lars Klingbeil has called for similar price limits, echoing Luxembourg’s approach.
