Finance Minister Lindner wants to stick to the dismantling of the agricultural diesel tax break, but is in favor of reducing bureaucratic hurdles for farmers. The farmers’ association expects a solution for agricultural diesel from the meeting with the traffic light leaders on Monday.
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner has promised an increased reduction in bureaucratic burdens for farmers in Germany. “The current discussions about agriculture are not just about public money and subsidies. There is also growing frustration among farmers about more and more regulations and other interventions in their operations,” Lindner told the Düsseldorf Rheinische Post.
“That’s why we have to look at how economic success can be improved overall through less regulation,” said the FDP chairman before his appearance at the central farmers’ demonstration next Monday in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. “If subsidies are reduced, then expensive bureaucracy should also be gradually reduced. That would only be fair,” said Lindner.
Reversing the deletion of agricultural diesel is not an issue
Lindner also made it clear that, despite the farmers’ ongoing protests, he wanted to stick to the planned cancellation of the tax break for agricultural diesel. “Parliament has the final say on the budget. But everyone will have to do their part to normalize state finances,” Lindner told the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung.
“The agricultural sector receives subsidies of a good nine billion euros annually from Brussels and Berlin,” he continued. “Less than 300 million will now be lost in 2025. So we’re talking about around three percent.” The federal government has carefully looked at the effects of the proposal and therefore made corrections, said Lindner.
The federal government no longer wants to end the tax relief, which has existed for more than 70 years, in one fell swoop; instead, it should phase out gradually over three years. The coalition has completely withdrawn the abolition of the vehicle tax exemption for farmers. The plans will now go to the Bundestag for parliamentary deliberations.
Meeting on Monday in Berlin – and demonstration
On Monday, the farmers’ association will meet with the traffic light faction leaders. The association expects this to provide a solution to the core issue of agricultural diesel. “We assume that they are aware of the explosiveness of the issue and that we will receive serious suggestions on it,” said farmers’ president Joachim Rukwied to the dpa news agency. “In order to avoid any misunderstandings: the conversation on Monday can initially only be about agricultural diesel.” We are counting on the faction leaders to present a solution to this.
The chairmen of the traffic light factions in the Bundestag invited the leaders of the agricultural associations to the conversation in view of ongoing farmers’ protests.
“The current demonstrations make it clear that your profession is not only concerned about financial burdens, but also about a lack of planning security and economic prospects for agricultural businesses,” the invitation says.
A large protest rally by farmers and the shipping industry will also take place in Berlin on Monday.