The Bundestag's Committee for Economic Affairs and Energy recommends rejecting the AfD parliamentary group's motion calling for a diesel agreement with Russia. In it, the group, led by MPs Markus Frohnmaier, Stefan Keuter and Tobias Teich, demands that the federal government press at EU level for the swiftest possible lifting of all sanctions on Russian energy supplies and of import duties on fertilisers. It also wants the government to reach an agreement with Russia on diesel deliveries for Germany, following the US example, and to push for an agreement between Ukraine and Russia to protect grain exports.

The motion argues that Russia's war of aggression, the mutual attacks on energy infrastructure and the Iran war have driven up fuel costs sharply worldwide. In Germany, it says, petrol and diesel have become particularly expensive because of energy taxes, and diesel prices are a major driver of inflation, for example in food prices.

The parliamentary groups of the CDU/CSU, SPD, BÜNDNIS 90/DIE GRÜNEN and Die Linke rejected the motion. The Bundestag is now to vote to reject the motion in Bundestag paper 21/8902.

Key points:

• Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, the mutual attacks on energy infrastructure and the Iran war caused fuel costs to rise sharply worldwide.
• Because of German energy taxes, petrol and diesel in Germany have become particularly expensive.
• Diesel prices are a major driver of inflation, for example in food prices.

Source: Bundestags Drucksachen (German)