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Federal Minister of Finance Lindner: Support for the economy
Photo: MICHELE TANTUSSI / REUTERS
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) wants to relieve energy-intensive industry by several billion euros over the next two years.
This is reported by the "Süddeutsche Zeitung", citing a paper from the ministry.
The reductions should affect the so-called peak compensation, which companies can claim that have demonstrably reduced their energy consumption.
They can then reclaim part of the energy or electricity taxes on heating fuel and electricity they paid in one year from the state.
In addition to the peak compensation, there is also a general tax relief for the entire energy and electricity consumption of the companies that meet the conditions, the newspaper reports.
Both regulations would actually expire at the end of the year.
But Lindner wants to extend it for the years 2023 and 2024. The costs for this are estimated at almost 2.9 billion euros per year.
"In order to ensure our prosperity, energy-intensive production must continue to be possible in Germany," said the Finance Minister of the "SZ".
That is why the companies concerned are guaranteed “planning security with regard to energy prices and significant financial relief”.
According to the ministry, around 9,000 companies benefit from peak compensation, and 33,000 from the general relief – for example in the chemical industry, plastics or metal production, glass and ceramics production or the automotive industry.
In addition to industry, mining companies would also be relieved and companies in the energy and water supply or in the construction industry.
In Lindner's draft budget for 2023, the relief is also already shown.
In addition to the almost 2.9 billion for the peak equalization and the general tax relief for energy and electricity consumption, another budget relief is planned: for certain energy-intensive processes and procedures such as glass, concrete or cement production or metal products.
For this, a reduction in income of 1.4 billion euros is planned – making a total of 4.3 billion euros a year in relief for energy-intensive industry.
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