The Bundestag wants to mitigate the price shock at the pump.
On Thursday evening, Parliament passed a bill to reduce energy taxes. The liter of petrol is thus taxed 30 cents less per liter, including VAT even by 35 cents. With diesel it is 14 cents less per liter, with VAT 17 cents. The lower taxes apply in June, July and August.
The oil multinationals should pass on the lower taxes at the pumps. The Federal Cartel Office is to ensure this through stricter requirements. The measure is expected to cost the federal government around three billion euros in taxes.
The law passed the Bundestag unopposed. The opposition factions abstained. CDU politician Johannes Steiniger said the instrument was correct, but the three-month period was too short. At the end of August, when the measure expires again, fuel prices are expected to remain high.
The SPD deputy Carlos Kasper assured: “In this way we reduce the fuel prices to the pre-crisis level.”
The Bundesrat still has to approve the bill on Friday.