In Berlin, the Federal Chancellor and leader of the governing parties will present the third relief package for the citizens that the government alliance agreed on overnight. Olaf Scholz (SPD) appeared in front of the cameras together with SPD co-party leader Saskia Esken, Green co-chairman Omid Nouripour and FDP leader and finance minister Christian Lindner. Accordingly, the package will have a total volume of 65 billion euros. It is larger than the first two packages together, said Scholz.
The coalition had “firmly resolved”, so-called Excess profits at energy companies, for example to tax, said Scholz. These profits, now known as “accidental profits”, will be skimmed off either at European level or at national level.
pensioners are to receive a one-off energy price lump sum of 300 euros as of December 1st. Students and trainees should receive a one-off payment of 200 euros, according to the results of the coalition committee presented on Sunday. A flat-rate energy fee of 300 euros had already been introduced for working people.
The remaining Business Aid Programs are to be extended until December 31, 2022, the current term of the European Commission’s state aid framework.”
Scholz announced a big one housing benefit reform that would help those who have little or no income. The one previously planned for January 1, 2023 increase in the carbon price EUR 5 per ton will be postponed by one year to January 1, 2024. This would also mean that the previously planned follow-up steps in 2024 and 2025 would be postponed by one year.
The federal government wants the states for a nationwide public transport ticket to make an additional 1.5 billion euros available annually – if the federal states make at least the same amount available. It is about a successor to the 9-euro ticket. The aim is a ticket in the range of around 49 to 69 euros per month.
The package is the result of the deliberations that the leaders of the SPD, Greens and FDP began on Saturday afternoon. It is intended to help limit the burden of the Ukraine war, particularly the high energy prices.
With the first two relief packages, the electricity price surcharge to promote renewable energies (EEG surcharge) was abolished, there is an energy flat rate of 300 euros for all employees and a one-off payment of 100 to 200 euros for all unemployed, child benefit was increased once by 100 euros per child, fuel prices were supported for three months until August, and there was a 9-euro ticket for local public transport for the months of June, July and August.
More in a moment.