PRESS STATEMENT IG Metall Welcomes Habeck’s Proposal on Industrial Electricity Prices

Jörg Hofmann, President of IG Metall, on the key points paper for an industrial electricity price presented today by the Federal Minister of Economics:

“IG Metall has long been pushing for a competitive industrial electricity price to ensure that the energy-intensive basic materials industry—and with it, well-paid jobs protected by collective bargaining agreements—has a future in Germany. It’s good that the Federal Minister of Economics, with his latest working paper, is once again clearly committing to the necessity of an industrial electricity price and is taking concrete action.

In our view, the paper contains important key points: A clear limitation to energy-intensive industries and a time limit—serving as a bridge until sufficiently affordable renewable energy is available—are necessary to avoid windfall gains. The target of 6 cents per kilowatt-hour is a level that is feasible in the context of international competition. In our view, it is essential that companies wishing to benefit from the industrial electricity price be required to invest in the transition, provide location guarantees, and adhere to collective bargaining agreements. It is important that works councils and relevant unions be closely involved in this process and that agreements be reached to secure employment.

A great deal is at stake with the industrial electricity price: industrial value creation—and thus the future of good jobs in Germany—is on the line. If we fail to transform the basic materials industry into the climate-neutral era while strengthening integrated value-chain networks here in Germany, this will have dramatic consequences for the entire industrial sector—far beyond the basic materials industry itself. In this respect, an industrial electricity price also strengthens Germany’s future-oriented industries.”

Further information and press photos of Jörg Hofmann