Germany needs a quick decision on an effective bridge electricity price. This is what the associations and trade unions of the energy-intensive industries and the DGB are demanding. This week, these organizations have joined forces to form an Alliance for a Bridge Electricity Price. The members of the alliance represent a total of more than 1.1 million employees in over eight thousand companies. According to a recent brief study, a total of up to 2.4 million jobs and a good 240 billion euros in added value depend on the companies in the energy-intensive sectors. They secure high revenues for the federal, state and local governments with annual tax payments and social security contributions of around 90 billion euros.
The members of the alliance advocate a quick solution to the current debate on a bridge electricity price. It is "five to twelve" for the energy-intensive industries. Relocations, site closures and job losses have been looming for a long time.
Together they are committed to Germany as an industrial location and to the transformation to climate-neutral production. Electricity is becoming increasingly important. Until this is available in sufficient quantities from renewable energies, a competitive, time-limited bridge electricity price is urgently needed. After months of wrangling, a decision must now be made for the future of industry in Germany. Above all, the Federal Chancellor must take a clear stand.
In joint letters to political leaders in the federal and state governments, the Alliance announced that it would be holding talks with prime ministers, members of the cabinet and members of parliament in the federal and state governments in the coming days and weeks.
STATEMENTS BY THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ALLIANCE PRO BRIDGE ELECTRICITY PRICE
Franziska Erdle, Managing Director WirtschaftsVereinigung Metalle e.V.
The non-ferrous metals industry is in an extremely difficult situation due to the high electricity prices. Some companies have already had to cut back their production sharply or stop it altogether. Politicians must urgently move from discussion to action and introduce an industrial or bridge electricity price. Otherwise, there is a threat of the irrevocable loss of transformation-relevant industry in Germany and thus an increase in dependency in the supply of basic materials, especially on China.
Yasmin Fahimi, Chairwoman of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB)
The German government must now set the course for Germany to become a successful and climate-neutral industrialized country. High-quality industrial jobs and strong industrial value creation will have to continue in the future. To achieve this, industry finally needs reliability and competitiveness in electricity prices. However, this must not be achieved without also committing to location and tariff loyalty. Despite all the efforts of the federal government, we must not stop halfway. The federal government must therefore follow up its announcements with deeds and implement the bridge electricity price quickly. We simply cannot afford to wait.
Jörg Hofmann, First Chairman IG Metall
The current high energy costs and the fact that Germany has some of the highest industrial electricity prices in Europe demand fair solutions. Otherwise, steel production, the aluminum industry and other energy-intensive sectors risk disappearing from Germany sooner rather than later. The consequences of this for the entire German industry would be fatal. From IG Metall's point of view, a bridge electricity price must include the following aspects: A restriction to energy-intensive industries that are in international competition, a time limit combined with a concrete transformation perspective for the purchase of cheaper renewable energy in order to prevent windfall effects and - particularly important to us as a trade union - investments by the subsidised companies in the transformation, location guarantees and a commitment to tariff compliance.
Kerstin Maria Rippel, Managing Director of the German Steel Federation:
The transformation to climate neutrality needs massive amounts of green electricity. And it must be affordable. Our electricity costs are two to three times higher than those of our European and international competitors. This hits the companies in the steel industry hard, which are currently making giant strides towards decarbonization. That is why we need a bridge electricity price - not permanently, but for the transition. Until the point where renewable energies in an intelligent electricity market design ensure competitive prices.
Markus Steilemann, President of the German Chemical Industry Association - VCI
Our industry is at a crossroads. The house is on fire and we urgently need the bridge electricity price as fire-fighting water. So that the existing good substance is preserved and we can tackle the ecological transformation with full force. In the future, we want to present a rebuilt house and not lament a ruin.
Source: www.wvmetalle.de
