Relief for fuel prices: from fuel vouchers to mobility allowances

With the current fuel prices, calls for relief for motorists are getting louder and louder. But what exactly is being discussed? An overview of possible relief models.

If the fuel price for a liter of Super is – for example – 2.10 euros, then about half of this is tax. VAT on fuel is 19 percent, which is 33 cents alone, plus 65 cents in energy tax per liter of petrol.

If the state wants to make refueling cheaper now, it could lower these taxes – temporarily or permanently. However, that would not work with VAT, says Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner: The EU would not allow such a VAT discount. That leaves the energy tax. If the state were to lower this, for example by 20 cents per liter, then fuel could become cheaper immediately.

Disadvantages of tax cuts and fuel vouchers

Could: Because industry observers warn that the mineral oil companies could hit part of such a state price advantage on fuel prices right back on top of it. This would increase your profit even further.

A second disadvantage: If the state makes refueling cheaper through tax rebates, then not only commuters who have to turn over every euro twice will benefit, but also those drivers who earn very well and could actually easily afford the higher prices.

This also applies to the idea of ​​fuel vouchers, which Lindner himself brought into play: the prices at the petrol pump remain as they are, but at the petrol station checkout there would be a credit for the customer, which the tenant can then have the state refund. Every customer would also benefit from such a voucher scheme – regardless of their personal situation.

Relief on pump

That is why the proposal came into play to compensate for the increased energy prices with a so-called mobility allowance. That would be a kind of surcharge on the wages for all employees, graduated according to income. The employer would therefore transfer the money, which would mean a bit of bureaucracy for the company. There is talk of 20 to 50 euros per month, only top earners would not get such a mobility allowance.

Whether socially staggered or across the board – the following applies to all relief: There is actually no money for this in the federal budget, especially since the Ukraine war is very uncertain about economic development and thus the future tax revenue of the state. So what is being distributed now would have to be financed from additional debt. After the immense corona loans of the last few years, that would be another mortgage on the future.