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14h ago

Bundestag Opens Debate on Air Travel Tax Cut as Bill Moves to Finance Committee

Committee review now begins, with funding for the tax cut under scrutiny.

Der Bundestag berät am Donnerstag erstmals über die Senkung der Luftverkehrsteuer (11.20 Uhr). Union und SPD hatten im Koalitionsvertrag vereinbart, die Anhebung der Steuer durch die Vorgängerregierung wieder rückgängig zu machen.
Bei den ersten Beratungen des Bundestags über die von der Bundesregierung geplante Senkung der Luftverkehrsteuer haben Grüne und Linke deutliche Kritik an dem Vorhaben geübt.
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Overview

  • Germany’s government plan to lower the per‑ticket air travel tax had its first Bundestag reading Thursday and now goes to the Finance Committee for detailed work.
  • The draft would restore pre‑May 2024 rates from July 1, 2026, cutting the charge per passenger to €13.03 for nearby destinations, €33.01 for mid‑haul and €59.43 for long‑haul flights.
  • The finance ministry projects about €330 million less tax revenue in 2027, and German states warn that plugging the shortfall from the transport budget could stall needed projects.
  • Greens and the Left Party attacked the cut as economically and ecologically unsound, while the SPD defended it as cost relief for a sector losing ground in Europe and industry groups urged swift passage.
  • The levy is charged on each ticket and is based on distance measured from Frankfurt Airport to the biggest airport in the destination country, which places nations into set tax brackets.