By Gunnar Schupelius
From 2024, a CO2 tax will be added to the truck toll. This is intended to promote alternative drives to diesel. But this calculation does not add up, says Gunnar Schupelius.
The latest figures from the Federal Statistical Office are not encouraging. Consumer prices rose by 7.2 percent in April compared to the same month last year. Food was the main price driver. Milk rose in price by 34.8 percent and bread by 21.3 percent. There is no end in sight to this inflation, which is causing serious difficulties for many families.
Nevertheless, the SPD, FDP and Greens in the federal government passed a resolution in April that caused prices to rise again: A CO2 tax will be imposed on trucks from January. It is added to the truck toll that is due anyway and amounts to 200 euros per tonne of CO2. In the future, smaller vans from 3.5 tons will also have to pay the toll, previously the limit was 7.5 tons.
The hauliers have to pay the levy and then pass their expenses on to consumers. Because ultimately almost all goods are transported by truck, almost all goods and all consumers are affected.
The Federal Association of Road Haulage calculated that consumers will be burdened by the new CO2 tax with a total of 7.62 billion euros per year.
The association protested against the introduction of the CO2 tax, as did the German Retail Association (HDE), which represents the retail trade. All in vain, the traffic light coalition remained stubborn. The politicians from the SPD, FDP and Greens claim that the CO2 tax will have a “steering effect”. Because vehicles with “emission-free drives” are exempt, an incentive is created to use fewer trucks with diesel engines. But this calculation does not add up, because there is currently no viable and affordable alternative to diesel engines for heavy-duty trucks. The freight forwarders have no choice, the steering effect will fizzle out.
The new CO2 tax also leads to a double tax, because diesel fuel is already subject to an increasing CO2 tax.
The planned use also shows how strongly the new levy is politically motivated. In the future, the revenue from the truck toll, including the CO2 surcharge, will be used primarily for the expansion of the railway facilities, so far the money has flowed into the expansion of the road network.
The diversion of revenue to the rail network is the result of the assumption that rail could replace trucks in the future. But that is not possible. On the contrary: The Federal Ministry of Transport expects a sharp increase in goods traffic on the road.
The CO2 surcharge on the truck toll stems from political wishful thinking and was made without rhyme or reason. One could also say: It is made against people’s interests, because life will, politically desired, become more expensive again from January.
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