Before a vote in the Bundesrat, Jörg Dittrich, the president of the Central Association of German Crafts, criticized the planned reduction of the energy tax, arguing instead that a lower electricity tax was necessary. Dittrich told the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” (Friday edition) that the state is currently benefiting immensely from higher fuel prices and collecting significant additional revenue. While acknowledged that an eight-week fuel price cap would offer short-term relief, he questioned whether such a measure could provide long-term growth impulses.
Instead, Dittrich proposed that the extra revenue generated should be used to accelerate the transition to new energy sources, such as by lowering the electricity tax for all consumers, a measure that had also been previously promised. According to the association’s president, this shift “could bring the desired momentum”. He concluded by stressing that a viable, overarching concept that looks beyond the immediate crisis is essential.
