Opposition to new car buyer鈥檚 premiums within German government coalition
S眉ddeutsche Zeitung
There is significant opposition among Chancellor Angela Merkel鈥檚 conservative CDU parliamentarians to the idea of introducing additional buyers鈥� premiums for car customers as an economic recovery measure for the German auto industry, . While support was necessary to overcome the crisis, the car industry has caused 鈥渁 lot of negative emotions鈥� through its behaviour in past years, he writes. Instead of sector-specific short-term measures, CDU MP Carsten Linnemann is calling for more general tax rebates and reforms, such as reducing the electricity tax and abolishing the Renewable Energy Act (EEG). It is unclear whether it is actually a majority of conservative parliamentarians that opposes car premiums, Ro脽mann adds.
Carmakers insist on a stimulus package as well as a buyers鈥� premium that includes combustion engine models to encourage car sales. The German government has repeatedly referred to the special importance of the auto industry for the country鈥檚 economy as a whole. It is scheduled to present its coronavirus recovery programme soon. The car industry has advocated a buyers' premium of 3,000 euros for relatively clean diesel and petrol cars and an additional 4,000 euros for plug-in hybrids and electric or hydrogen cars on top of an existing support programme for these low-emission vehicles.
