The leaders of the traffic light groups have agreed on the controversial issue of bonuses and dividend bans as part of the energy price brakes.
(Photo: IMAGO/Christian Spicker)
Berlin The leaders of the governing coalition have clarified a crucial issue in the electricity and gas price brake law. The parliamentary group leaders of the SPD, Greens and FDP agreed with their householders on a compromise for the payment of bonuses for executive and supervisory board members and the payment of dividends if companies make use of the energy price brakes. The Handelsblatt learned this on Monday evening from coalition circles. At the parliamentary group meetings tomorrow, Tuesday, the MPs still have to agree in large groups.
The compromise looks like this: If companies receive state support of between 25 and 50 million euros through the electricity and gas price brake, they are not allowed to increase the bonus payments intended for company management in the coming year.
The distribution of dividends remains unaffected. From an aid payment of 50 million euros, neither bonuses nor dividends may be paid out. The “Spiegel” reported about it first.
The traffic light has thus cleared up the last major issue of energy price brakes. Ministries and the Chancellery had originally agreed that companies could continue to distribute bonuses and dividends as they wished – even if they took advantage of the gas and electricity price brake.
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>> Read here: Traffic light deputies contradict government – bonus and dividend ban become a point of contention
The traffic light representatives in the budget committee of the Bundestag had made a far-reaching stipulation a month and a half ago: “No dividends, bonuses, special payments in the form of share packages or other separate remuneration” for users of the price brakes.
The decision went so far that the committee stipulated that it would not otherwise release the financial resources needed for the aid.
It was to be expected that the householders would not get away with a complete ban on bonuses and dividends. This is not considered feasible, especially for smaller companies. At the same time, however, it was clear that the MPs would not completely back away from their resolution. The small-scale, now agreed compromise was therefore negotiated over several weeks.
The agreement of the traffic light politicians comes just before scarce. The Bundestag must pass the laws on gas and electricity price brakes this week. The Federal Council should then finally agree on Friday. The price brakes are to be paid out from March, but will also apply retrospectively to January and February.
More: How long does the gas last? These are the scenarios for the winter