In response to the increase in energy, food and mobility costs, the Federal Government is introducing significant measures to relieve the burden on German citizens. The Federal Cabinet has introduced a lump sum for energy costs, a one-off child benefit bonus and a temporary fuel tax reduction.
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In addition to the extensive measures already implemented in the first relief package, the Federal Government has implemented a relief package for ordinary citizens in order to mitigate the effects of increasing energy prices.
The total relief volume is well over 30 billion euros. In several drafts, the Cabinet approved the implementation of the following measures:
The resolutions passed by the Federal Cabinet are based on the agreement reached by the Coalition Committee on 23 March 2022 regarding the measures to be taken to deal with the high energy costs.
The Federal Government has implemented the following regulations to implement the second citizen relief package:
The coalition factions intend to introduce the energy price lump sum and the family allowance (child bonus) as an amendment to the draft Tax Relief Act 2022. The coalition partners will introduce the doubling of the one-off payment for welfare recipients as an amendment to the Immediate Supplementary and One-off Payment Act draft.
The so-called 9 for 90 ticket is to be funded through a draft of the Seventh Act to amend the Regionalisation Act. The temporary reduction of the fuel tax is to be implemented via the Energy Tax Reduction Act draft.
Among other things, the creation of formulation aids will expedite the legislative process. Formulation aids are usually prepared for draft amendments to be discussed and voted on in the German Bundestag committees, but may also include drafts of bills from Bundestag members.
The respective bills are currently going through the parliamentary legislative process. The Bundestag and Bundesrat will approve the necessary legislative changes on 19 and 20 May 2022 to facilitate the rapid adoption and implementation of the respective measures.
In view of rising energy prices, the Federal Government had already presented a comprehensive relief package: the commuting allowance, basic personal allowance and employee allowance will all be increased. A heating allowance, which is mainly intended for recipients of housing benefits and students receiving a grant under the Federal Training Assistance Act (BAföG), as well as the EEG levy for electricity consumers will be introduced as early as 1 July 2022.