Schneider calls for an alternative to the plastic tax

"Economically and ecologically wrong": Just yesterday, Union parliamentary group leader Thorsten Frei clearly rejected the planned plastic tax, now Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) is speaking out - and is insisting on alternative proposals. “Solid financial policy, especially in these years and these days, is crucial, and that is why the Union has an obligation to make other proposals,” said the SPD politician on Deutschlandfunk.

By Thursday, the Union must present ideas “on how to close the hole in the budget that we have,” emphasized Schneider. "The plastic tax was an agreement from the coalition committee in the spring and served both ecological control and, above all, to secure our budget."

The so-called adjustment meeting of the Budget Committee will take place on Thursday. There, the budget experts are putting the finishing touches to the budget for 2027, which will then be voted on in the Bundestag.

Plastic tax for less waste

The federal government is currently debating the introduction of a plastic tax that would make packaging more expensive. According to a preliminary draft, 550 euros would be due for every ton of plastic in packaging from July 2027. This should help reduce plastic waste. The SPD is pushing the project forward; the Union has major reservations.

Federal Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) plans to use the money from the plastic tax. Additional income of 805 million euros is expected for 2027, and from 2028 it should be almost 1.5 billion euros annually.