Thorsten Frei, the head of the CDU caucus, stated that his party has “significant reservations” regarding the planned plastic tax. Speaking to the “Welt” television channel on Wednesday evening, Frei asserted that these reservations are entirely justified, adding, “Concerning what is currently on the table, we must say: This is certainly not agreeable as it stands.”
The CDU/CSU party chief justified his oppositional stance by arguing that the costs and benefits of the tax need to be weighed not only within the public sector but also across the entire private economy. “And that balance, as it is right now, doesn’t fit,” Frei commented.
The draft plastic tax stipulates that a levy of 550 euros will be applied to every ton of plastic packaging starting in July 2027. Furthermore, plastic that has been recycled is intended to be exempt from the tax starting in July 2028. The tax is designed to create an incentive for companies to use less plastic derived directly from fossil fuels, encouraging a shift toward more sustainable materials. It is also intended to support the plastic recycling industry, which is currently facing serious challenges. Financially, the tax is projected to deliver an additional 805 million euros to the federal budget in the first year, with annual revenue anticipated to reach approximately 1.5 billion euros starting in 2028.
