Finance Minister Brunner supports the farmers’ association’s demand to relieve the burden on agriculture
St.Pölten (OTS) – Introduce issues, bring solutions home – fight for the farmers and rural areas. Lower Austrian Farmers’ Association chairman and state deputy Stephan Pernkopf issued this maxim when he was re-elected as head of the Lower Austrian Farmers’ Association. He placed agricultural diesel as a central demand. This means a reduced price for agricultural fuels. A few days after the State Farmers’ Council, where Pernkopf made this demand, a corresponding motion was submitted to the Lower Austrian state parliament and a conversation was now held with Finance Minister Magnus Brunner, in which he supported the farmers in their demand.
An EU comparison shows the situation clearly. Almost all EU countries use this exception rule for agricultural diesel. While countries such as Belgium, Luxembourg, Croatia, Sweden, Romania, Estonia and Cyprus do not tax agricultural diesel at all or minimally, Austria does not use the exception at all and so farmers pay around 40 cents per liter of diesel in additional taxes compared to other EU countries. A decisive competitive disadvantage for local family farms. For Pernkopf and his farmers’ association director Paul Nemecek, this is a “clear injustice that must be ended as quickly as possible. The bottom line is that Austria’s farmers pay too much for diesel!” They pay the third highest tax on agricultural diesel in the EU and, together with Greece and after the Netherlands, currently have the highest burden of fuel costs.
The EU Commission has already given the green light and an implementation draft is ready
Now this demand has been put on a financially viable footing. During a working meeting with Finance Minister Magnus Brunner, he also supported the Farmers’ Association demand. A concrete implementation draft in the spirit of the Lower Austrian Farmers’ Association has already been presented to the coalition partner. “Finance Minister Magnus Brunner is clearly on the side of farmers and security of supply,” said Pernkopf after the meeting.
The farmer representatives have already secured themselves legal protection at the highest level. You have received an official letter from the EU Commission, according to which the tax rate on agricultural diesel may be permanently “reduced to zero”. Also the renowned Univ.-Prof. for European law, Walter Obwexer, confirms this leeway and the possibility of legal implementation for the farmers’ association.
Nemecek also puts the rod in the window of the green coalition partner in the federal government regarding agricultural diesel: “It is legally possible, financeable and it is economically necessary to relieve the farmers. We must now work together on security of supply and ideological positions must be put aside.” Pernkopf: “Anyone who does not act now will be responsible for more imports and less domestic production of food, with all the social, economic and ecological consequences.”
Questions & Contact:
Benjamin Lorenzer
Press spokesman
Lower Austrian Farmers’ Association
Ferstlergasse 4
3100 St. Pölten
Tel.: 02742/9020-2340
Mobil: 0664/839 74 29
Email: lorenzer@noebauernbund.at