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Steel production (here a photo from Duisburg) is very energy-intensive: jobs are threatened
Photo: Rupert Oberhäuser / picture alliance
In view of the even stronger increase in energy prices caused by the Ukraine war, the trade unions IG BAU, IG BCE and IG Metall have called for state aid for their energy-intensive industries.
According to a joint statement, short-term aid from the federal government is needed for the particularly affected industrial companies in Germany.
According to the Federal Statistical Office, imported energy was up 129.5 percent in February, more than twice as expensive as in the same month last year.
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In order to prevent bankruptcies, quick liquidity support is needed, write the organizations of employee representatives.
In addition, they demand the possibility of short-time work in the event of production cutbacks and a temporary reduction in VAT on electricity and gas.
Germany as an industrial location is in serious jeopardy due to rising energy prices – jobs are threatened in the medium term.
The consequences for energy-intensive sectors such as the steel industry would have to be cushioned.
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Just a few days ago, the federal government promised farmers additional aid because of the high costs of fuel and other energy or fertilizer caused by the war.
According to a report, Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) is also considering reallocating a 150 billion euro corona fund to companies affected by the Ukraine war, but such a step is considered problematic under European law.
IG Metall boss Jörg Hofmann has now appealed to the federal government to also examine liquidity aid for industry.
In addition to investments in climate protection, they would now also have to bear the dramatically increasing energy and raw material costs.
According to the statement, the chairman of the IG BCE, Michael Vassiliadis, said that all the energy capacities that we still have must now be used.
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It is important to keep up the production of important goods such as everyday life, the energy transition or the urgently needed housing construction.«
In addition to short-term help, medium- and long-term measures are also needed, write the unions.
The expansion of renewable energies must be accelerated again, as must the planning and approval procedures for corresponding projects.
The unions again warned against an embargo by the federal government on gas or oil.
That would hit the industry hard, they said.
apr/dpa