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It is possible that the winegrowers affected by the flood disaster will have to wait further for the payment of the approximately 7 million euros in donations. Last Friday (28.1.2022), Federal Minister of Finance Christian Lindner (FDP) had announced in a letter that the tax obstacles to the payment had been removed together with the state ministries. He did not give details of the solution. In contrast, Sarah Ryglewski, Minister of State in the Federal Chancellery, wrote in a letter dated 2 February 2022 in response to a question from CDU Member of Parliament Julia Klöckner to Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD): "Tax issues must not be an obstacle to helping the people and businesses affected by the flood. (...) The Federal Ministry of Finance has informed us that it is in contact with the responsible state authority on this matter. The common goal is to find a practicable solution."
This makes it clear that the responsible officials in the ministries - contrary to Lindner's statement - have apparently not yet worked out a regulation on the payment of donations after all. How long the debate on overcoming the tax hurdles will last is thus still open.
In Germany, private donations, which are usually tax-deductible, may not be passed on to profit-making enterprises - such as wineries. But even payments to private individuals are stalled for reasons of social law.
Millions in donations for Ahr winegrowers may be paid out - Finance Minister Lindner and state ministries find regulation on tax issues
Millions in donations for Ahr winegrowers about to be paid out
(uka / Photo: Gisela Kirschstein)