Germany: Lindner remains committed to abolishing agricultural diesel subsidies

class=”sc-cffd1e67-0 fmXrkB”>

“Parliament has the final say on the budget. But everyone will have to make their contribution to the normalization of state finances,” Lindner told the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung (NOZ) on Saturday.

“The agricultural sector receives more than nine billion euros in subsidies from Brussels and Berlin every year,” the Minister of Finance continued. “Less than three hundred million will now be lost in 2025. So we’re talking about three percent.”

The federal government carefully looked at the effects of the proposal and therefore made corrections, Lindner said. “The green license plate will remain, the subsidy for agricultural diesel will only be gradually phased out. By reducing subsidies, we are not closing gaps in the budget, but rather financing new aid. The electricity tax for the entire manufacturing industry will be reduced. An old subsidy expires, a new compensation is introduced.”

On Saturday, Lindner promised farmers in the Düsseldorf “Rheinische Post” a greater reduction in bureaucratic burdens. “The current discussions about agriculture are not just about government money and subsidies,” Lindner said. “There is also growing frustration among farmers about more and more regulations and other interventions in their business processes.”

“We must therefore look at how economic success in general can be improved through less regulation,” said the FDP politician. “If subsidies are reduced, expensive bureaucracy must also be reduced step by step. That would only be fair.”

Meanwhile, IG Metall boss Christiane Benner was concerned about the farmers’ protests. “The farmers’ protests are at great risk of being infiltrated by radical parties,” the union leader told the newspapers of media group Funke. “I understand that some farmers have economic concerns. But I wonder how the escalating protests can be brought back under control.”

(SDA)

Source: Blick