Gastro VAT increase
Lindner sees responsibility with the SPD and the Greens
November 19, 2023, 12:00 a.m
Statements by Finance Minister Christian Lindner indicate that there was once again not complete agreement in the traffic light coalition. The FDP politician sees the SPD and the Greens as being to blame for the upcoming increase in VAT in the catering industry from seven to 19 percent.
After the decision to allow the reduction in VAT in the catering industry to expire at the end of the year, Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner blamed his partners in the government coalition for this. “If all parties had pulled together, a further extension would have been possible,” Lindner told “Bild am Sonntag”. “But the SPD and the Greens had other priorities.”
The reduced VAT of seven percent was a crisis aid for the catering industry, which would have been eliminated this year due to the decisions of the grand coalition. “I was able to prevent that for 2023,” said Lindner. He understands that many would regret the return to the 19 percent VAT rate on food in restaurants.
The traffic light groups decided on Friday night to let the reduced rate of seven percent for the catering industry expire at the end of the year. It was introduced because of the corona pandemic and the consequences of the war in Ukraine. The Dehoga restaurant association had stated that losses in sales, job losses, operational closures and bankruptcies were the consequences of this decision.
The criticism from the industry over the VAT increase is primarily aimed at Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz. In 2021, he promised in the ARD “election arena” with regard to the reduced tax: “We will never get rid of that again” – and thus raised great hopes among many restaurateurs.