The nine-euro ticket is history
In June, July and August you could use local and regional transport throughout Germany for nine euros a month. 52 million tickets were sold in the three months, and according to surveys, many people who have rarely or never used the bus or train have also used them. The offer has now expired and the normal prices in buses and trains apply again.
Many Green politicians and the transport companies had spoken out in favor of extending the nine-euro ticket. Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) has so far not wanted to release federal funds for a successor to the discount campaign. In the meantime, however, there is hope for a continuation, and on Tuesday there was surprising movement in the debate. His party friend, Transport Minister Volker Wissing, had convinced him that there could be a successor model, Lindner said at a press conference on the sidelines of the closed conference at Meseberg Castle. Wissing could realize a nationwide follow-up ticket with a fraction of the financial resources of the nine-euro ticket. For Lindner and Wissing, this has only one condition: in the end, there must be joint funding between the federal and state governments.
According to information from government circles, the traffic light coalition could actually quickly agree on a successor model to the ticket. But the price is still being debated. The Greens have tariffs from 29 euros, the SPD 49 and the FDP so far 69 euros. “Once the question of financing is clear, the price can be set,” said Lindner.
There is no longer a tank discount
The so-called tank discount, i.e. the reduction in energy tax on fuel, has no longer applied since midnight. And this is already clearly noticeable at many gas stations. This is shown by a quick evaluation of the prices at almost 400 gas stations in Munich, Berlin and Hamburg between 6 a.m. and 6.30 a.m. on Thursday by the German Press Agency using ADAC fuel price data.
The prices at many gas stations were significantly higher than in the same period on Wednesday. E10 premium petrol cost more than two euros on Thursday morning at most of the gas stations surveyed. On Wednesday morning, not a single gas station examined had priced beyond this threshold. Diesel, on the other hand, already cost more than two euros at the majority of the gas stations examined on Wednesday. On Thursday, the diesel price at most petrol stations was well above 2.10 euros, sometimes even more than 2.30 euros.
Arithmetically, the price of the E10 could increase by 17 cents as a result of the repeal of the 35 cent tax cut for diesel. However, prices had already risen significantly in the past two weeks:
In addition, petrol station operators also bought at the reduced tax rate until Wednesday and could therefore initially sell petrol and diesel more cheaply. So it could be a while before the tax cut is lifted.
In other countries, the tank discount has been extended. In France, the government is even expanding the tank discount from September – from 18 to 30 cents per liter. Italy’s government has also extended the tank discount for the fifth time. The 25 cent per liter reduction in excise duty on fuel would have expired on September 20 and is now due to apply until October 5. The discount was introduced shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine and was extended in May, June, July and early August.
Hardly anyone in Germany is asking for an extension, not even the ADAC, on the contrary. “In times of scarce fuel and the occasion to save fuel, that would be the wrong signal,” said ADAC Transport President Gerhard Hillebrand of the German Press Agency. Drivers and above all commuters should be relieved in other ways, for example by increasing the distance allowance.
The energy price flat rate is paid out
In September, millions of employees receive a state cash injection. The one-off payment was already decided in March. The money, according to traffic light coalition circles, would have been happy to be paid out to everyone. But there is no easy way to do this, because not everyone pays taxes or can be reached by the state in another way. So there was a compromise: Employees get the money with the pay slip from the employer. It is now officially said that the money should be given to those who travel to work by car or train and therefore have higher costs.
Anyone who lives and works in Germany or who commutes across the border is entitled to the 300 euros: employees, trainees, civil servants, soldiers, board members, mini-jobbers or temporary workers. Employees in semi-retirement also get money. The lump sum is usually paid with the September salary. For the self-employed, the advance tax payment from September 10 will be reduced. Anyone who was still employed at the beginning of the year but is now unemployed will receive the money without a special application via their tax return. The 300 euros are paid gross. Wage and income tax are deducted, but no social security contributions. In this way, the traffic light wants to achieve social differentiation: people with low incomes get more money than top earners. On average, 193 euros remain for everyone, says the Ministry of Finance. Anyone who has no taxable income is left empty-handed. Above all, many pensioners, but also students – if they don’t have at least one mini-job.
By the way, the money is far from enough to compensate for the price increase. Gas, electricity and fuel prices have exploded in recent months. For electricity alone, the comparison portal Verivox counted 123 price increases from basic suppliers for August, September and October, which means annual additional costs of more than 300 euros for an average three-person household. In the case of gas, the increases are even more juicy, plus the state gas surcharge.
According to official figures, the lump sum itself will cost the federal government 13.8 billion euros. However, the state also collects 3.4 billion euros from the fact that employees pay wage and income tax on top of the lump sum and, in some cases, a solidarity surcharge. The bottom line is that costs remain at 10.4 billion euros.
New energy saving requirements apply
Concerned about possible energy bottlenecks, the government is also turning small screws: This Thursday, a number of energy saving requirements came into force that are intended to reduce consumption over the next six months. It is a “joint task of politicians, companies and consumers,” says the text of the regulation, which the cabinet passed last week. “Every kilowatt hour saved helps a little bit out of the dependency on Russian gas supplies.” According to Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens), gas consumption is to be reduced by around two to two and a half percent, together with other requirements that will apply from October 1st.
According to the regulation, work rooms in most public buildings – for physically light work and predominantly sedentary work – may only be heated to a maximum of 19 degrees. So far, the recommendation was 20 degrees. Transit areas such as corridors, foyers or technical rooms are no longer heated – unless there are safety reasons for this. The lighting of buildings and monuments for purely aesthetic or representative reasons will be switched off. Boilers and instantaneous water heaters may no longer be used to heat water at the washbasin, unless this is required for reasons of hygiene. Private pools may no longer be heated with gas and electricity. Clauses in leases that stipulate a certain minimum temperature are temporarily suspended. Illuminated advertising systems are switched off from 10 p.m. to 4 p.m. the following day if the lighting is not required for traffic safety. Shop doors or other “entrance systems” to heated business premises in retail may no longer remain open permanently.
The e-prescription is coming
Everyone knows them: the pink slips of paper for which patients can get antibiotics, antihypertensives and other prescription drugs in the pharmacy. But the so-called model 16 recipes should soon be over – and in the long term probably also with the paper economy. From September, patients will also be able to redeem electronic prescriptions in all pharmacies. This is a digital prescription code that patients can use to get their prescription medication in pharmacies. The prescription code is transmitted from the doctor’s office to the e-prescription app of Gematik, the national agency for digital medicine, and can then be presented to the pharmacy on one’s own smartphone. The paper prescription will continue to exist – for example for people without a smartphone.
Anyone who uses the e-prescription app can use their smartphone to inquire in advance whether the pharmacy of their choice has the drug in stock. And thus save time by eliminating routes. If the pharmacy offers a courier service, the prescription can also be ordered via the app without having to visit the pharmacy. With online pharmacies, the original prescription no longer has to be sent. The e-prescription can be transmitted digitally to the mail-order pharmacy.
Gematik’s “The E-Recipe” app is available free of charge in the Google, Apple and Huawei app stores. You also need an NFC-enabled health card. Most health insurance companies have already sent out these new electronic health cards many times over. You can recognize them by a six-digit CAN number in the upper right corner of the health card. Anyone who does not yet have a health card with NFC function can order one from their health insurance company. Also required to use the app: A PIN. You can also get this from the health insurance company. By the way: Internet access is not required in the pharmacy in order to be able to redeem the e-prescription via smartphone. Once downloaded, the e-recipes in the app are also available offline. Also practical: If you already had a pre-prescription and need a follow-up prescription in the same quarter, you can also transfer it via the e-prescription app without going to the doctor. If doctors offer video consultations, the e-prescription can also be sent to the app without a visit to the practice.
From 2023, according to Gematik, e-prescriptions should also be able to be redeemed in pharmacies using the health card – without a smartphone or paperwork. Doctors continue to issue green paper prescriptions for medicines that do not require a prescription. Not all medical practices can issue the e-prescription yet, according to the plan, the introduction should be completed nationwide by spring 2023. Privately insured people will continue to receive the blue prescription for the time being, but the introduction of the e-prescription is also being considered here.