25.03.2024
Source: Energy & Management Powernews
The Bundesrat has approved the Growth Opportunities Act and called for the Budget Financing Act 2024 and the introduction of climate money this year.
A compromise proposal from the Bundestag and Bundesrat Mediation Committee on the Growth Opportunities Act was confirmed by the Upper House on March 22. This introduces a declining balance depreciation for wear and tear (AfA) for residential buildings of five percent and a declining balance depreciation for movable assets for nine months. Furthermore, an increase in the loss carryforward to 70 percent (excluding trade tax) for a limited period of four years and an expansion of tax incentives for research.
The aim is to strengthen Germany's competitiveness as a business location with tax investment incentives and, in the amended version, should lead to relief for companies amounting to 3.2 billion euros. Originally, the law included over 50 measures with a relief of 7 billion euros. The bonus for climate protection investments has been removed. The vice-chairman of the SPD parliamentary group in the Bundestag, Achim Post, nevertheless hopes for "more growth and economic dynamism" in Germany.
Budget 2024 confirmed
At the same time, the state parliament passed the budget financing law for the current year. The law also makes changes to the Offshore Wind Energy Act and the use of auction proceeds for new offshore wind areas contained therein.
Die Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH) sharply criticized this, as "proceeds for marine protection are being misappropriated for the cross-financing of agricultural diesel". DUH Federal Managing Director Sascha Müller-Kraenner said: "This also calls into question the effectiveness of the Commission for the Future of Fisheries convened by the Federal Government, as the financial resources for the environmentally friendly transformation of the crisis-ridden industry are now lacking."
Improve infrastructure and pay climate money
The Bundesrat has also approved a motion for a resolution by the federal states of Lower Saxony, Bremen and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. It calls on the federal government to improve the framework conditions for implementing the expansion targets for offshore wind energy. This includes the upgrading of ports, roads, bridges and railways. According to the motion, proceeds from the wind power tenders should also be used for this purpose.
In a resolution on the climate money, the Federal Council called for the conditions for payment to be created this year. Payment of the climate money should begin in 2025 in order to relieve citizens of the costs resulting from rising CO2 prices for energy and fuel. It must be ensured that the payment is made automatically by the federal government and not entrusted to the authorities and agencies of the federal states.
100 percent frying fat in the tank
In another resolution, the federal state chamber approved the introduction of biodiesel in accordance with the EU's Green Fuel Regulation. This means that in future, drivers will also be able to fill up with diesel made from 100 percent waste materials such as chip fat. On March 22, the Federal Council approved an ordinance by the German government that clears the way for the introduction of biodiesel. So-called paraffinic diesel fuels, which are produced from waste materials and vegetable oils, will thus also be approved as a pure fuel. Until now, they could only be blended with conventional diesel.
The Association of Municipal Enterprises (VKU) welcomed the introduction, but at the same time called for 1 billion euros in subsidies to convert municipal vehicles to biodiesel. The German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) spoke of a "good day for the environment and the climate". VDA President Hildegard Müller said: "On the road to climate-neutral transport, renewable fuels are the appropriate and urgently needed complement to the main pillar of electromobility."
The industry association Biogasrat appealed to the federal states to continue to guarantee biogas and biomethane production. "Behind this are domestic small and medium-sized enterprises and agricultural companies that make an essential contribution to climate protection in the supply of electricity and heat with their business and their investments in renewable energy production and provide climate-neutral fuels in transport, thus making an important contribution to value creation in Germany and creating and securing jobs at the same time," it said in a statement.
Digital administration goes to the mediation committee
A law on digital communication with the administration went to the mediation committee. The aim of the law is to offer official administrative services digitally via administrative portals. It creates structures for improved cooperation between the federal government and the federal states and is intended to enable simple, modern and digital processing in a comprehensive portal network. The basis is to be a central digital citizen account and a qualified electronic seal that replaces the written form, as well as a regulation on digital-only for business services.
Author: Susanne Harmsen
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