Minister of Economics Habeck would like to expand the energy cost program in order to not only provide financial support to international companies.
Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck (Greens) has announced extended aid for companies due to the sharp increase in energy costs. Habeck said in the Bundestag that the economic substance in Germany must be preserved and protected. For this purpose, a federal energy cost program should be expanded.
In the future, aid should no longer only go to companies that are involved in international trade, but also to companies that are making losses. That applies to the industry. Aid is also to be expanded for small and medium-sized enterprises. In addition, down payments should be made quickly, said Habeck.
The federal government had launched a program in which companies can receive a subsidy for their increased natural gas and electricity costs. The Ministry of Economic Affairs had already stated that extensions for medium-sized companies were planned. Referring to a survey of medium-sized industrial companies, the Federation of German Industries reported that the industry was facing fundamental problems due to the extreme rise in energy prices.
Habeck said the federal government had set up a special fund worth 100 billion euros for national defense. Financial resources must now be mobilized with the same determination to defend Germany’s economic substance.
Uncertainty about suspension of the debt brake
The Prime Minister of Saxony-Anhalt, Reiner Haseloff (CDU), warned in the Bundestag of a wave of insolvencies. He urgently called for a coherent overall concept for overcoming the crisis. At the same time, Haseloff questioned the debt brake in order to be able to react to the challenges.
Within the traffic light coalition in the federal government, there are different views as to whether the debt brake, which has been suspended in recent years due to the pandemic and is anchored in the Basic Law, should be observed again in the coming year. It only allows the federal government to take out new loans to a limited extent.
Source: Stern
Jane Stock is a technology author, who has written for 24 Hours World. She writes about the latest in technology news and trends, and is always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to improve his audience’s experience.
