03/07/2025 - "The power tax decision is a fatal signal to the economy at the wrong time. Lowering the power tax was promised in the coalition agreement and is overdue. In hardly any other country do companies have to pay as much for electricity as in Germany. We therefore urgently need relief on energy costs for the entire breadth of the German economy. A hotel, for example, would save about €10,000 a year if power tax were reduced to the European minimum, a shopping center €200,000, and a large data center about €1 million. In recent days, it has become increasingly apparent in politics that a correction is needed here. Companies cannot understand why, in a difficult economic situation, suddenly there are no financial resources for growth-promoting immediate measures from the coalition agreement. Those who want to ensure competitiveness cannot postpone relief further. The hope, therefore, is that Parliamentarians will see the importance for businesses and yet enforce a power tax reduction for all in the Bundestag.
It is important that the German government initiates structural reforms and also relieves companies of labor costs. These are already too high internationally and continue to rise. In particular, politicians should effectively limit social security contributions. Instead of another expansion of pension insurance benefits, reducing disincentives to early retirement should be on the agenda. A higher contribution assessment ceiling in health and long-term care insurance would impose enormous burdens on contributors and companies. Anyone who wants to secure social benefits must first strengthen the economic foundations."