“The government is well below its potential in introducing the excess profit tax,” said ÖGB president Wolfgang Katzian and AK president Renate Anderl, criticizing the government’s plans to cut off some of the so-called excess profits. that energy companies made as a result of the war in Ukraine. The social partners also speak from the heart of opposition parties and environmental protection organisations.
On Friday, Katzian and Anderl called the measure an “excess profit tax light.” What is needed is an extension of taxation to the entire energy sector, a collection of all excess profits in 2022, 2023 and 2024 and a higher effective tax level. SPÖ deputy club leader Jörg Leichtfried criticized the proposal as a “pure excess profit gift” for energy companies. “With an estimated excess profit of OMV in 2022 of six billion euros, OMV has five billion more left and the association can keep almost all of the excess profit for 2022 because the tax will only be paid from December 1. press conference.
SPÖ calls for “real” gas price caps
Instead, Leichtfried advocated skimming off “all” excess profits, which he said should generate some eight to ten billion euros in revenue. With its model, the cabinet expects some two to four billion euros in revenue. The deputy club chief of the largest opposition party also confirmed the SPÖ’s demand for a gas bill suspension for December “for everyone” and a “real” gas price cap for next year.
FPÖ for abolition of VAT
According to the FPÖ, the measure “benefits one crisis winner after another”. “Customers have made these excess profits possible for the companies. Now the finance minister is coming to collect this money,” said party leader Herbert Kick. The only effective remedy could be to halve or eliminate VAT altogether, Kickl continued.
Greenpeace measure ‘largely despondent’
Greenpeace also criticized the size and duration of the measures, calling them “largely discouraged”. “It would be necessary and just to skim off the excessive excess profits of oil and gas companies and to establish this long-term skimming mechanism,” the environmental protection organization said. Meanwhile, the WWF called for “at least ten percent of energy suppliers’ excess profits to be set aside for nature and biodiversity protection”.
Fridays For Future announces strike across Austria
The protest movement Fridays For Future (FFF) also spoke out in favor of skimming 100 percent of “casual profits”. Furthermore, the climate activists criticize the starting point in July 2022 for skimming profits from fossil energy companies as too late. FFF announced a strike across Austria for November 26.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
