The French government may still want to pull out the wallet to compensate for the high fuel prices for French citizens. Thinking about ‘fuel coupons’ rather than an overall tax cut.
The French government is considering providing such vouchers to low-income households. Minister Barbara Pompili (Ecological Transition) spoke on the television channel France 2 about the fuel bills. She added that it is complicated to put something like this into practice.
The government in Paris is under increasing pressure to do something about high petrol prices. In France, these consist of about 60 percent excise duties, but Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire does not want to change those consumption taxes, he told the radio station. Europe 1. According to him, this amounts to “subsidizing fossil energy”. Le Maire hinted on Monday that he prefers a measure such as the fuel coupons to making fuel cheaper for all French people.
High energy prices could become a hot topic in the run-up to the presidential election in France in April 2022. With a growth rate of 6 percent this year, the French economy has emerged relatively strongly from the corona crisis. On the other hand, the government of President Emmanuel Macron has been criticized for the increased cost of living.
Decrease margin
Earlier, the government called on gas station owners to reduce their margin on fuel. This can of course save the consumer a lot at the pump. However, that idea has led to criticism among the operators. In response, supermarket chain E.Leclerc even proceeds to completely cross out the profit margin, to show that the biggest difference can ultimately be achieved with a reduction in excise duty. CEO Michel-Édouard Leclerc thinks it’s the government’s move.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl