Juha PylväsThe chairman of the Parliament’s parliamentary group told the Finnish Broadcasting Corporation that the parliamentary group would be ready both to lower the threshold for its own responsibility and to raise the maximum amount from 7,000 euros.
He added that the reduction is particularly attractive because of its relatively rapid impact.
Both considered the measure feasible Antti LindtmanChairman of the Socialist Parliamentary Group, and Atte HarjanneChairman of the Group of the Greens.
“It needs to be targeted in a way that alleviates the situation, especially for long-distance drivers,” Lindtman estimates.
The Coalition Party also stated in its Wednesday report that extending the reduction was a way to offset rising energy prices. “Extending the reduction in business travel expenses is justified due to Finland’s long distances. Travel costs must not be an obstacle for anyone to work, ”he emphasized Matias MarttinenTax expert for the Coalition Parliamentary Group.
One of the many demands of Convoy Finland’s recent demonstration, cutting fuel taxes to soften the rise in diesel and petrol prices, did not receive much support from the ruling parties. In their view, a tax cut would not be a particularly effective way of using public funds.
“There is a fairly clear perception among economists that this would be a very cost-effective measure that cannot be precisely targeted [consumer] prices, ”Harjanne told YLE.
Similarly, Pylväs described the measure as problematic and explained that a broad-based tax cut could reduce tax revenues by as much as € 1 billion, but does not guarantee a significant reduction in the price of the pump.
– Even now, diesel and petrol prices at the pump can vary by as much as 30 cents between stations, he said.
“It is a condition of all measures that the impact should flow to consumers and not to intermediaries or abroad,” Lindtman reiterated.
The Coalition Party also announced that it would address the peak in electricity prices by lowering the income tax rate by income category and lowering the winter electricity tax to the lowest level allowed by the European Union. It is estimated that the reduction in the electricity tax will save households almost 200 euros during the coldest two months of the year.
The SDP does not oppose the idea, even if it prefers to approach the problem through fuels.
“I do not rule out any measures, but the measures must be such that they can be applied immediately. The peak in electricity prices has already begun to pass, but for fuels it seems to be continuing, Lindtman said.
However, according to Harjante, the Greens are not convinced that the reduction in the electricity tax could be targeted with sufficient precision.
Group leaders from all three ruling parties expressed support for the introduction of a refund of diesel tax paid by bus and truck operators. The column saw that the professional diesel system should be developed and introduced as soon as possible, even if it had concrete effects only later, as it is based on tax rebates.
Another way to compensate motorists for soaring prices is to reassess the timetable for the distribution obligation for renewable fuels. The Finnish government has set 30 percent of transport fuels to be renewable by 2030, and it has later been agreed to raise the target to 34 percent.
Lindtman said the Social Democrats are ready to reconsider the timetable. Your ridge refrained from holding or excluding any measures, but recalled that the issue is closely linked to the government’s climate and environmental goals.
“This is part of climate policy. It is absolutely vital that we do not compromise on our climate goals and that we have a path to carbon neutrality by 2035 and carbon neutrality soon after.
Aleksi Teivainen – HT
Source: The Nordic Page
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