Ahead of a vote in the Bundesrat, Jörg Dittrich, President of the Central Association of German Trades, criticized the planned reduction of the energy tax. Instead, he advocated for a decrease in the electricity tax. Speaking to the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” Dittrich pointed out that the government currently benefited significantly from the rise in fuel prices, gaining substantial additional revenue from the higher gasoline costs. He argued that implementing a short-term relief measure, such as the current eight-week fuel price cap, would likely fail to create long-term growth impetus.
Dittrich suggested a more sensible use of these additional state revenues: applying them to accelerate structural transformation, for example by lowering the electricity tax for all trades, a measure that was also previously promised. He stated that this adjustment could provide the necessary boost. According to the association president, what is required is a comprehensive, sustainable plan that looks beyond the current acute crisis.