BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - According to the German Press Agency, the leaders of the traffic light coalition are seeking to introduce a kerosene tax for domestic German flights. In addition, tax concessions for agricultural and forestry businesses, the so-called agricultural diesel, are to be abolished. This is part of the agreement on the 2024 federal budget.

Until now, kerosene used in commercial aviation has been exempt from energy tax. Agricultural and forestry businesses can apply for a refund of part of the energy tax paid on their fuel consumption

Jost Lammers, President of the Federal Association of the German Air Transport Industry, criticized the plans for kerosene. "Germany is already lagging far behind almost all other European and non-European countries in the revival of air traffic since the pandemic," he said in a statement. "The state location costs in Germany are already the highest in Europe. In this situation, the German government is making feeder traffic to German hubs more expensive by going it alone with a national tax on kerosene within Germany, thereby shifting traffic to other European and international countries."

According to Lammers, this decision means a "de facto demand program for the hubs on the Bosporus and the Persian Gulf". "In addition, the German government is weakening the air traffic connections of the important German business locations with this renewed increase in state location costs."/hoe/DP/stk