Facing rising fuel prices, Ramona Pop, a board member of the German Consumers’ Association, has warned against a fuel‑price brake. “The experience with the last fuel discount showed it was better received by the oil companies than by consumers” she told the Funke-Mediengruppe newspapers on Tuesday. “Therefore I would at least advise against it in this form”.
If the war continues, further price increases are likely. “We won’t get past high fuel prices” she said. “Households should therefore be eased overall. This could be done by reducing the electricity tax – it was promised in the coalition agreement and is on the table. So far it has benefited only industry, not private households”. Pop added that this must change: “Consumers need this promised relief”.
Given the Iran conflict and climbing energy costs, she also warned that heating will be more expensive next winter. “I fear that heating next winter will be more costly” Pop told the newspapers. “If the conflict continues, gas prices will keep rising and we will have to pay more for heating”.
Finally, she noted the growing competition in the global liquefied gas market. Many Asian countries are currently securing supplies from Qatar. “If less Qatar LNG reaches the world market, those countries will have to buy more elsewhere, such as from Norway or the United States – and then we will be competing directly with them” she said.
