Facing continued rises in gasoline and diesel prices caused by the Iran conflict, the SPD plans to sharply curb the daily price increases at petrol stations. Deputy spokesperson Esra Limbacher told the “Rheinische Post” on Thursday that a first measure would be to limit how often stations and oil companies can raise their prices.
Last November the Federal Council had already adopted a decision calling for “transparent fuel prices”. It urges the federal government to evaluate minimum intervals between price hikes. The resolution cites Austria, where station owners may only adjust prices once a day at 12 p.m., while price cuts can be made at any time.
Limbacher said she has yet to receive any guidance from the leading Economic and Energy Ministry of Ms. Reiche on this issue. She argued that the current rate of increase is, from a practical standpoint, inexplicable: the petrol and diesel sold today were largely purchased at much lower crude prices, leading her to accuse the industry of “scamming consumers”.
To monitor the escalating fuel and energy costs driven by the Iran war, the coalition parties in the Bundestag have established a dedicated working group.
