Lindner puts the office under pressure: the cartel office monitors fuel prices closely

Does the tank discount reach consumers? That is the task of the Federal Cartel Office, said Finance Minister Lindner.

Lindner puts the office under pressure: the cartel office monitors fuel prices closely

Does the tank discount reach consumers? That is the task of the Federal Cartel Office, said Finance Minister Lindner. The authority wants to monitor this closely, but is already drawing attention to a difficult development.

The Bundeskartellamt wants to take a very close look at the development of fuel prices in connection with the energy tax cut from tomorrow, Wednesday. Monitoring was "intensified again," said President Andreas Mundt. "Even if there is no legal obligation to pass on the tax cut one-to-one, the mineral oil companies are acting under the 'burning glass' of the Federal Cartel Office." Meanwhile, finance minister Christian Lindner said it was the agency's job to ensure that the tax cut "reached the hearts of drivers and commuters."

However, Mundt also emphasized: "As a competition authority, we cannot simply ban high, even very high, prices." They could also arise in competition. So far there is no evidence of anti-trust behavior that could be punished with high fines.

However, competition in the fuel market works "only to a limited extent," said Mundt. So watch the industry closely. "We have been seeing a decoupling of crude oil prices and refinery and gas station prices for months." In order to "create maximum transparency for the entire fuel market", the cartel office has also initiated an investigation into the refineries and the wholesale level.

Since the start of the Ukraine war, fuel prices have climbed to unprecedented heights. In this context, there was repeated criticism that the prices were too high. In this context, Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck asked the Cartel Office in the spring to closely monitor fuel prices.

Starting tomorrow, the reduction in energy tax on fuels, limited to three months, will take effect. The tax rates for petrol will drop by 29.55 cents per liter and for diesel by 14.04 cents. The measure is part of the federal government's relief package, because fuel prices have risen sharply in recent months.

Lindner said in the Bundestag that the tax cut would not take effect immediately "for technical reasons". Fuel is currently available at the petrol stations, which they bought in May, i.e. at the old tax rate. Gas stations will only be able to purchase fuel at the reduced tax rate from Wednesday.