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Packaging tax: Freising falls by the wayside – the state says no!
Tübingen is introducing a legally confirmed packaging tax to reduce waste and burden companies.
Packaging tax: Freising falls by the wayside – the state says no!
The discussion about a possible packaging tax in Freising is in full swing, but the Bavarian state government has now stopped the project. How Mercury Reportedly, a related application from the ÖDP, which was prepared by city treasurer Johannes Hutter and city lawyer Bastian Altmann, was rejected at the end of May. The Free State has announced that it will ban such a tax, which is a bitter setback for many actors in the municipality.
However, in other cities, such as Tübingen, the world looks different: a packaging tax has already been introduced there, which is legally permissible. Companies must pay the municipality for each disposable cup and packaging sold. The fees are clearly regulated: 20 cents for cutlery and 50 cents for other packaging, which is intended to create an effective incentive to reduce packaging waste.
A double-edged sword
The critics of the packaging tax in Freising draw attention to the financial burden on companies and consumers. The effort required for implementation could put additional strain on the local economy. So reported DIHK that even small companies are now busy with bureaucratic duties for over 38 hours a month. In the hospitality industry it's even 14 hours a week just to meet the legal requirements.
The question that many people are asking is whether the additional bureaucratic effort and additional taxes will really lead to a significant reduction in waste. There are indications that there is currently no statutory earmarking of the income. This is causing concern among business people who are looking for practical solutions.
The way forward
Freising's finance committee heard different opinions on the usefulness of the tax during a discussion, with the chair of the meeting, Eva Bönig (Greens), criticizing the interference in local self-government. There have been suggestions to put pressure on the state government and join forces with other cities to explore the possibility of introducing a packaging tax.
How Municipalities of North Rhine-Westphalia announced that a municipal packaging tax is legally possible and is primarily intended to promote reusable packaging and reduce the environmental impact of disposable products. The decision strengthens the scope of action of the municipalities and could, in the long term, lead to “reusable rather than disposable” being integrated into everyday life.
In this area of tension between environmental protection and economic feasibility, it remains to be seen how Freising and other municipalities react to the current situation. The topic will certainly continue to be a topic of conversation in the future.