The overview in brief reports on developments, results and assessments relating to German politics:
Steel industry demands affordable hydrogen and climate protection contracts
The Steel Industry Association calls on the federal government to ensure affordable hydrogen and climate protection contracts in order to support the transformation of the steel industry in the energy transition. “Green electricity and green hydrogen are indispensable prerequisites on the way to climate-neutral steel production,” Hans Jürgen Kerkhoff, President of the Steel Industry Association, on the Federal Government’s Easter package, which is intended to accelerate the expansion of renewable energies. “However, it must be ensured that green electricity is made available in sufficient quantities and at competitive prices for the ramp-up of the hydrogen economy and the large electricity requirements of the steel industry.” The next step is to quickly apply the right political instruments, such as climate protection agreements, so that the transformation of the steel industry can gain momentum.
Energy industry: Should prefer faster planning law for the Easter package
The energy industry sees the federal government’s Easter package as an important step towards accelerating the expansion of renewable energies. Nevertheless, the Federal Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) misses practical guidelines to sufficiently advance the construction of green power plants. “More efficient planning and approval laws are also indispensable, which significantly accelerate the construction of renewable energy plants. Unfortunately, this is only planned for the summer package,” complained Kerstin Andreae, Chair of the BDEW Executive Board. “But we need more speed here: The federal government should therefore integrate the requirements for faster planning and approval procedures into the Easter package. We have to make even faster progress with the expansion of renewable energies and permanently stop the turbo.”
Economic Council wants tax reforms instead of reallocating the WSF
The Economic Council of the CDU has rejected a reallocation of the Economic Stabilization Fund (WSF) to deal with the economic damage caused by the Ukraine war in companies. “We support the efforts of the federal government to mitigate the effects of the immensely increased energy costs and inflation on the population and companies. But we must not completely lose sight of the constitutional obligation of a sustainable budgetary policy and EU state aid law,” said Secretary General Wolfgang Steiger. Extending the options for offsetting losses to at least three years would be a suitable instrument from both a budgetary and tax point of view. A timely reform of taxation of retention and the option model would also lead to relief for partnerships.
Steinmeier believes a return to normality with Russia under Putin is impossible
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier believes that a return to normal relations with Russia is impossible as long as President Vladimir Putin is in power there. “There will be no return to normality under Putin,” said Steinmeier in the ZDF morning show. At the moment he cannot say whether Russia has a future in Europe. In the television interview, Steinmeier repeated his own mistakes in Russia policy. “The really sad thing is that we failed on many points,” said Steinmeier. This applies to efforts to integrate Russia into a European security architecture and to support it on the way to democratic conditions. Putin has developed into a “bunkered warmonger,” said Steinmeier. “It was a misjudgment that we – and I too – thought that even a Putin of 2021 would not ultimately accept the total political, economic and moral ruin of the country for his imperial madness.”
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(END) Dow Jones Newswires
April 06, 2022 11:02 ET (15:02 GMT)