Category: Finance
Union parties, SPD: von der Leyen bears no responsibility in consultancy affair
The former Federal Minister of Defense Ursula von der Leyen (CDU), according to the CDU-CSU and SPD members of a Bundestag investigation committee, is not responsible for the advisory affair of her, then, ministry. However, responsibility does lie at the level of the State Secretaries….
Teachers’ association: additional educational package makes sense
The German Teachers’ Association has emphasized that it makes sense to put together an “additional education package,” allowing funding in the areas of renovation and modernization, with at least 20 billion Euros. The president of the association, Heinz-Peter Meidinger, complained that the education sector had…
Brinkhaus for a balanced budget
The parliamentary leader of the CDU and CSU in the Bundestag, Brinkhaus, wants to achieve a balanced federal budget again, “as soon as possible”. There should be no new debt in 2021 and 2022. One had to go back to the mode of budgeting which…
Lindner opts for income tax reform
The chairman of the FDP, Christian Lindner, has criticized the provisional reduction in VAT and called for the income tax to be reformed instead. The solidarity surcharge could be abolished at the same time, he indicated. The reduction in VAT leads to bureaucratic effort, Lindner…
2 million applications for Corona Emergency Aid
2 million self-employed and small businesses have applied to the Federal Government’s Corona emergency aid. According to a document by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of the Economy, the applications amount to a total volume of 13.7 billion Euros. According to the document,…
Economic expert for limited non-wage labor costs
The chair of the German Council of Economic Experts, Lars Feld, has questioned the planned basic pension. The reason is that the social security contributions, also known as non-wage labor costs, “should not exceed the 40 percent mark.” In the long run, the basic pension…
Coalition committee approves 130 billion Euro stimulus package
The federal government’s stimulus package will include a total of 130 billion Euros for 2020 and 2021, it was decided on Monday evening by the leaders of the coalition committee. On July 1 and up until December 31, VAT is expected to drop from 19…
The EU should help developing countries during the Corona crisis
Development Minister Müller is committed to ensuring that the EU takes greater account of the global consequences of the Corona pandemic. So far, the EU has not really eyed developing countries in the face of the crisis. An emergency component would have to be installed…
Federal Government wants to provide funds for non-profits
According to plans by the federal government, non-profit organizations are to receive separate support as part of the economic stimulus package. This emerges from a joint key point paper from the ministries in charge of finance, economy, work, family, and home affairs. “The non-profit sector…
CSU wants double tax allowance for single parents
The CSU is committed to doubling the tax exemption for single parents. This should be raised to 4,000 Euros, said Alexander Dobrindt, head of the CSU group in the Bundestag. According to the statistics, there were 2.6 million single parents in Germany two years ago.
Ministry of Family Affairs for compatibility of work and childcare
The Federal Ministry of Family Affairs would like to use a Corona platform that can be called up on the Internet to show companies some good examples of how work, homeschooling, and other forms of childcare can be combined. Federal Minister of Family Affairs Giffey…
Karliczek wants to promote research and education
by Thorsten Koch The German Minister of Education Anja Karliczek (CDU) would like to propose an investment program with a volume of 10 billion Euros to the coalition committee on Tuesday, with a view on innovation in research and for improvements in education. The aim…
Trade Union for 150 billion package and car purchase premiums
by Thorsten Koch The IG Metall, a German trade union, has advocated an economic stimulus package of more than 150 billion Euros in order to avert sustainable damage from the German economy. IG Metall chairman Jörg Hofmann emphasized that according to economists, an economic stimulus…
Trade taxes: CDU and CSU want to support municipalities
The Union parties in the Bundestag, CDU and CSU, have presented a concept to relieve municipalities. In contrast to Finance Minister Olaf Scholz (SPD), the Union parties reject the assumption of old debts by the Federal Government. Instead, the trade tax levy that flows to…
Tiered funding for new cars proposed
The Federal Ministry of Economics has plans for purchase premiums cars, making propositions for both electronically operated new cars and new cars with diesel and gasoline combustion engines. Up to 5 billion Euros are earmarked for the efforts. However, the subsidy should be tiered, so…
Lufthansa Supervisory Board confirms rescue package
The Lufthansa Supervisory Board has approved, following the vote of the group management, the Federal Government’s rescue package for the airline. This also includes requirements of the EU Commission. “After an intensive discussion, we decided to agree to the proposal of the management board,” said…
Automobiles and the economy: CSU boss proposes stimuli
by Thorsten Koch The Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU) would like to consider the car industry when it comes to the economic package to be discussed from Tuesday. The “heart of our economy” should be promoted in view of expenditure in this area by…
Ministry of Finance proposes set of measures
Olaf Scholz (SPD), Federal Minister of Finance, would like to increase the duration of the short-time allowance for employees from one to two years. In addition, he presents proposals for a follow-up program of emergency aid in favor of small businesses and solo self-employed persons….
Altmaier wants to speed up approvals
Central approval processes should be completed much faster than before. Federal Minister of Economics Peter Altmaier (CDU) has campaigned for this goal days before the decision regarding the federal government’s stimulus package. Altmaier said, “planning and approval procedures for important national or regional projects must…
Scheuer wants to support mobility and digitalization
Federal Transport Minister Scheuer wants to promote mobility through a 28 billion Euro package, especially concerning the digital infrastructure. For this alone, the Ministry of Transport would like to earmark 8.5 billion Euros. The Federal Government’s digital fund is to be increased by 3 billion…
Schäuble promotes climate, digitization and innovation
The President of the German Bundestag, Wolfgang Schäuble, has appealed to use the state stimulus package for climate, digitization, and innovation. He campaigned for a fundamental renewal of the economy. It is crucial to do the right thing, he pointed out. “We can’t just say:…
IW: At least 100 billion Euros for stimulus package required
According to a study by the Institute of the German Economy (IW), government has so far spent 287.5 billion additional Euros in the Corona crisis and recorded less revenue. Nevertheless, Michael Hüther, the director of the IW, advocated that the economic stimulus package, which will…
Lufthansa board accepts EU requirements
There is agreement between the EU Commission and the Federal Government on the key points of the Lufthansa rescue. The airline is to waive a total of 24 take-off and landing rights in Frankfurt and Munich, as well as eight aircraft. The Lufthansa board has…
Startups about to be supported
The Federal Ministry of Economics will start a funding program with a volume of 2 billion Euros for German startup companies in need. Venture capitalists will help startups through the state funding agency KfW. More than 100 venture capital funds have already been accredited by…
Klingbeil: “super rich” should continue to pay solidarity surcharge
The general secretary of the SPD, Lars Klingbeil, has spoken out against abolishing the solidarity surcharge for all taxpayers from July 1st. “For the top 10 percent, for the super-rich in this country, that would be an additional 10 billion Euros. We’d rather use this…