SPD Chief Matthias Miersch urges CDU minister Katherina Reiche to improve gas price cap draft after it failed to activate in 10 years
SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch is calling on Federal Economics Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) to revise her draft law concerning the planned fuel price cap.
The cap, as currently presented in the draft, has not been applied even once in the last ten years-not even this year of crisis, Miersch told the Funke-Mediengruppe newspapers. He noted that if the fuel discount expires at the end of the year, relying on the fuel price cap, then the final law must be passed by mid-December. However, according to Miersch, the current draft law is simply insufficient. The SPD parliamentary group leader believes that a fuel price cap is a good solution because it would prevent billions from having to be handed out again. He also reiterated his support for a windfall tax. Other countries in Europe have already adopted this approach.
Miersch announced that, in the context of the fuel price cap, he also intends to re-evaluate the so-called 12-hour rule for refueling. Since April 1st, the price of fuel can only be increased once a day-at 12 o'clock. While Miersch acknowledged that this regulation has been effective during certain phases, he maintains that it is not the ultimate instrument. Above all, he stated that the regulation is a sign that the government does not want to leave people alone to deal with gas prices.
