mobility
Union warns traffic lights of increased stress on diesel drivers
Diesel fuel is currently taxed at just 47.04 cents per liter. But the road tax is higher than for gasoline. Photo: Carsten Koall / dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
As of today, the Union parliamentary group in the Bundestag finds itself in the opposition role. CSU politician Lange has criticized the traffic light – for an additional burden on diesel drivers.
The Union parliamentary group has warned the new traffic light coalition against increasing the burden on diesel drivers.
The deputy parliamentary group leader Ulrich Lange (CSU) told the dpa that the traffic light consciously accepts additional costs for millions of commuters and companies and wants to let them down. In a motion to be discussed by the Bundestag on Thursday, the parliamentary group calls not to increase the existing energy tax rates for diesel and petrol. Instead, both fuel and vehicle taxation should be reformed in the light of uniform CO2 pricing.
Commuter flat rate
In its motion, the CDU / CSU parliamentary group also advocates sticking to the commuter allowance. It should be further developed with the aim of increasing it “dynamically” depending on the applicable CO2 price in the transport and heating sectors.
The background to the debate: Diesel fuel is currently taxed at 47.04 cents per liter, petrol at 65.45 cents per liter. But the road tax for diesel is higher. The coalition agreement between the SPD, the Greens and the FDP says: “With the implementation of the EU Energy Tax Directive, which includes the tax adjustment of diesel fuel and gasoline, we will review the tax treatment of diesel vehicles in the vehicle tax.”
However, the energy tax directive has not yet been adopted; it is a proposal by the EU Commission. SPD parliamentary group vice-president Achim Post had said that reports that the coalition agreement provided for the abolition of the diesel privilege were incorrect.
Wissing’s statement annoys Greens
The designated Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) had told the “Bild” newspaper: “The FDP will ensure that higher energy taxes on diesel fuels are offset by lower vehicle taxes.” Green politicians criticized these statements. There is only one test order, but no order to lower the vehicle tax.
Union parliamentary group vice-long said that the coalition partners had “agreed” in their coalition agreement on a rising gasoline price and a higher diesel price. The Greens had rejected any support for motorists affected by diesel price increases. The CSU politician also criticized the coalition for slowing down projects where it had to accelerate and destroying incentives where it should put them.