Germany | Planning to Reduce its Aviation Tax

 Germany is planning to reduce its aviation tax, including the "eco - tax"introduced to curb air travel and reduce emission., a move that is part of a broader effort to make air travel more affordable and to address the competitiveness of German airports, particularly in light of the EU’s environmental targets.

The country's aviation tax, aimed at reducing carbon emission, has been a point of contention for airlines, who argue it makes them less competitive compared to other European countries.

The ecological aviation tax in Germany was introduced in 2011 but it was not until 2024 and significantly raised the levy on both short - haul and long - haul flights.

The coalition of the CDU , the Christian Democratic Union of Germany, a democratic and conservative partywhich supports a free - market economy and social welfare programs while maintaining conservative stances on social issues with the SPD, the Social Democratic Party of Germany, which advocates the modernization of the economy to meet the demands of globalization which wants a strong welfare state dedicated to social justice now governs and they signal a shift towards policies that favour business and tourism.

In the coalition agreement between CDU and SPD, was already agreed to reduce air specific taxes, charges and to withdraw the increase in the aviation tax.

 The Government's Tourism Coordinator, Christoph Ploss, told newspaper Bild that the high taxes were hurting German airports. The increase in the aviation tax must be reversed, and the charges at German airports must also be reduced, otherwise, there will soon be fewer flights connections at German airports than is currently the case.

The Tourism Coordinator added that the high taxes on aviation made it seem that holidays were more expensive for millions of Germans. The well deserved Mallorca holiday must not become affordable and Germany needs strong airlines, efficient airports and a competitive aviation industry.

 The tax on a pan ticket rose from €12.48 to  €15.53 for short - haul flights, medium - haul - routes went from €31.61 to €39.34 and long - haul routes from €56.91 to €70.83.

Airlines have long complained that the charges in Germany were among the highest in Europe, harming competitiveness, and some companies such as Eurowings and Ryanair, warned that they would cut routes to and from Germany over what they labelled excessive taxation.

BTW the Federal Association of the German Tourism Industry told news agency AFP that the taxes needed to be lowered promptly adding that unlike the majority of its European neighbours, Germany was still well below the pre - Corona level as an aviation location.

At the same time, airports and airlines are struggling under an above - average burden of fees and charges compared to the rest of Europe, with far - reaching consequences for the tourism value chain. 

In its “Fit for 55” package, the EU proposed introducing a kerosene tax to combat emissions and many countries followed suit.

France was said to be planning a threefold increase of its tax on intra - European air travel, from €2.63 to €7.30 while Belgium proposed raising passenger levies by up to 150% to around €5 per passenger and Denmark also introduced a hefty tax.

Only Sweden went against the grain and the Swedish Parliament has decided to abolish the act on tax on air travel on 1st July 2025.

Link 
https://brusselssignal.eu/2025/07/german-government-to-cut-green-air-travel-tax/