22 July 2026
No new measures against high gas prices – Energy Minister Reich
Economy and Energy Minister Catharina Reich said no additional state measures were planned to tackle high gas prices.
In May, the federal government cut taxes on gasoline and diesel by 17 cents to combat fuel price increases at the pump due to the Iran war. But the tax cut expired at the end of June.
Since then, prices have risen sharply, fueled by the resumption of hostilities in the Middle East and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Currently, the average price of a liter of gasoline is about €2.20 ($2.50), up from €1.83 ($2.10) before the war started, according to German outlet NDR.
“With the fuel price cap, we implemented a very costly measure. It cost us several billion euros,” Reiche told German media networks RTL and NTV. “Those funds are not currently available in the federal budget.”
The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) of Reich also rejected the idea of a price cap for gas proposed by some of Germany’s Social Democrats, the junior members of the governing coalition.
“There are no further measures currently planned, nor are any actually in the works,” Reich said.