The trade union Verdi criticized the coalition committee’s proposal regarding a tax- and levy-free relief premium offered by employers. Verdi chief Frank Werneke stated on Monday that basing a planned premium of up to 1,000 euros on whether individual employers voluntarily pay it out is a “completely misguided construction”. He cautioned that many workers in businesses that cannot or will not pay will be left out, thereby furthering social division.
Werneke, meanwhile, viewed the announced temporary reduction of the energy tax on diesel and gasoline as a positive first step in response to soaring energy prices. However, he criticized the overall coalition plans as falling significantly short of what is actually required. According to Verdi’s chief, the governing parties are being misled by the oil and gas corporations, stating that the coalition neither has the resolve to cap the profit margins on fuels, as successfully implemented in places like Luxembourg and Belgium, nor are there concrete plans to separately tax the windfall profits of these companies.
The Federal Consumer Center Association (VZBV) also expressed reservations. Ramona Pop, head of the VZBV, questioned whether the “costly gas discount” would actually reach consumers, deeming a “Gas Discount 2.0” unwise from a consumer’s perspective. She noted that even following the war in Ukraine, the temporary cut in energy taxes on gasoline and diesel proved to be expensive, insufficiently targeted, and unreliable for consumers. Therefore, the VZBV demands that if the energy tax is reduced, strict controls must be put in place to ensure the relief is fully passed on to the public.
Furthermore, Saarland Minister-President Anke Rehlinger (SPD) called for additional measures. Speaking to the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” she said that while the energy tax reduction provides noticeable and quick relief, it is not sufficient in the long run. She argued that those who make excessive profits during times of crisis must be held more accountable, necessitating stricter antitrust laws and mechanisms to recoup windfall profits. She reiterated that price caps, as seen in Luxembourg, remain sensible.
On a related note, Thuringia’s Minister-President Mario Voigt (CDU) welcomed the federal government’s decision to cut the mineral oil tax on fuels by 17 percent for two months. Voigt told the RND that the relief at the gas pump is an important signal for the country, helping many people immediately in their daily lives.
