Industry ad press hour: Implement location-friendly measures

2024-01-21 23:51:39

Extend electricity price compensation until 2030 for a competitive location

Vienna (OTS) – Austrian industry is pleased with the statements by ÖGB President Wolfgang Katzian about the urgently needed measures for the electricity-intensive industry. As explained by ÖGB-Katzian, relief measures are urgently needed in the face of high energy costs in order to create a good basis for the economy and strengthen the location. In order to counteract the impending blatant competitive disadvantage for domestic industrial companies, the Industrial Association (IV) has been calling for rapid and further targeted relief for the affected industry by 2030 for months. The electricity price compensation (SAG) model was specifically designed for the case of high CO2 and… Energy prices developed. In Europe, Austria is one of the very few countries in which long-term electricity price compensation has not yet been implemented. Germany, France and Italy, as well as ten other member states, have already had their electricity price compensation notified by 2030. Austria urgently needs to follow suit here and implement the model by 2030 and expand it to the missing sectors.

A reduction in non-wage labor costs is also a location policy necessity, because the non-wage labor costs, which are high compared to other countries, place a heavy burden on the labor market and Austria as a location. Austria has the fourth highest labor tax rate in the OECD. According to Eurostat, non-wage labor costs in Austria in 2022 were significantly higher than those in Germany and also significantly above the EU average. There is an urgent need for action here.

The IV also sees the ÖGB President’s willingness to discuss incentives for voluntary work after retirement age as positive. The Austrian business and industrial location is struggling with an ever-increasing shortage of skilled workers and skilled workers. In order to counteract this in the long term, all potential on the labor market must be utilized, including among people who want to continue working voluntarily after retirement age.