Saxony’s Minister of Economic Affairs, Dirk Panter, is calling for long-term relief for businesses and commuters once the fuel subsidy ends. “The debate must not wait until fuel prices rise noticeably again,” the SPD politician stated, according to his ministry in Dresden. According to a decision by the federal government, the fuel rebate is to be discontinued as planned at the end of June.
In a large state like Saxony, tradespeople, small and medium-sized businesses, care services, and logistics companies are on the road every day, the minister said. They need reliability “instead of short-term debates in crisis mode.”
Measures that could provide relief include better tax treatment of business mobility costs, targeted tax breaks for commercially used vehicles, and improved depreciation rules for investments in more efficient fleets.
Regarding financing, the minister pointed out that individual companies generate extraordinary additional profits during times of crisis. The question of an appropriate contribution to financing relief measures would have to be raised.
