Ministerpräsidentenkonferenz: Länder fordern Tempo bei Stromsteuer und Spritpreisdeckel

The regional leaders demand rapid action from the federal government regarding the energy and fuel price policies. At the Ministerpräsidentenkonferenz (MPK) in Berlin, they urged a swift reduction of the nationwide electricity tax and called for an early proposal on the upcoming fuel price cap. According to the MPK decision on the electricity tax, despite all relief measures, energy prices remain too high internationally.

Further measures are deemed necessary. The regional leaders urge the federal government to utilize financial margins in the budget to rapidly reduce the nationwide electricity tax for everyone. "The state leaders are asking the federal government to quickly use its fiscal space to lower the electricity tax for all," said MPK President Gordon Schnieder (CDU), who emphasized the need for reliability and keeping the promise to make energy affordable, especially electricity, for all citizens.

The MPK Vice-Chairman Olaf Lies stressed the importance of maintaining trust in such messages and decisions, as the income from the electricity tax solely goes to the federal budget, thus not burdening regional budgets. The federal government had promised in its coalition agreement to reduce the electricity tax to the European minimum level, which has not been implemented yet.

Only the industry, manufacturing sector, agriculture, and forestry have seen a reduction in the electricity tax, but private households and all other businesses have not. Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) also advocates for using fiscal space to fulfill the promise from the coalition agreement. Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) doubts the financing feasibility, stating that anyone proposing lower electricity taxes should also propose how to finance it.

The slight revenue surplus leaves little room for additional spending, according to Klingbeil. Regional leaders point to the immense burden of energy costs, with North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister-President Hendrik Wüst demanding the nationwide electricity tax reduction as soon as possible. Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's Minister-President Manuela Schwesig (SPD) calls the reduction "urgently necessary."

Despite the MPK decision, other states share Klingbeil's concerns about financing feasibility. Bremen's Chancellor Andreas Bovenschulte (SPD) agrees that the electricity tax reduction is right, but acknowledges the financial consequences and the need to carefully examine the available fiscal space. The fuel price cap aims to give the public assurance that it will not pay more at the gas station for businesses to increase their profits.

This task does not have to wait until January 1, 2027, but should be done now, to ensure certainty for the future.