Overview
- Germany’s coalition, which unveiled the plan Monday, will cut the energy tax on petrol and diesel by about €0.17 per liter for two months and allow a tax‑free employer payment of up to €1,000, with ministers pushing to pass the law by early May.
- Economists and unions warn the relief is poorly targeted and may not fully reach consumers, with DIW’s Marcel Fratzscher citing likely windfall gains and DGB chief Yasmin Fahimi calling for a longer run time.
- Greenpeace estimates oil firms booked about €1.18 billion in extra profits in Germany from March 2 to April 12, and the government says it expects full pass‑through while exploring tougher antitrust enforcement and an EU‑level windfall‑profits option that is not yet agreed.
- Regional business voices describe limited real‑world relief, and earlier curbs on intra‑day price hikes at pumps showed little effect, leaving commuters and fleets unsure the cut will ease weekly fuel bills.
- Police report recurring diesel thefts in Saxony and safety officials caution against stockpiling, noting Saxony‑Anhalt limits storage in small garages to 200 liters of diesel and 20 liters of petrol.