Robert Habeck desires incentives for longer working hours: “Everyone would have more of it” | EUROtoday

As of: 1:54 p.m | Reading time: 3 minutes

In the talk about the way forward for pensions in Germany, Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) has spoken out in favor of extra monetary incentives for individuals who proceed to work after retirement age. “In this way, the employer’s unemployment and pension shares could be paid out as an additional fee,” mentioned Habeck on Thursday on RTL/ntv’s “ Frühstart ” program. “Then it would become even more financially rewarding to work longer and everyone would get more out of it.”

Employed old-age pensioners are exempt from pension insurance coverage – however at this time employers pay the identical quantity of pension insurance coverage contributions for them as for workers topic to pension insurance coverage. When it involves unemployment insurance coverage, there’s additionally insurance coverage and subsequently freedom from contributions when you attain the usual retirement age. However, the employer additionally has to pay his share of the contribution right here.

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Habeck mentioned that by paying out employer contributions as a further payment, those that wished to work longer would have the ability to “earn a lot.” The expertise of those individuals can be retained within the labor market. “We can really use that at the moment and nobody loses anything,” mentioned Habeck.

However, Habeck doesn’t need to lead a debate a few modified retirement age. The retirement age is politically clearly regulated and won’t be modified. “There are also professions (…) where you are broken after many years, and you shouldn't put pressure on yourself to have to work longer,” mentioned the Economics Minister. Where there’s willingness, it shouldn’t be punished however inspired.

Habeck is campaigning for much less protectionism within the USA

Habeck is at present on a three-day journey to the USA. There he advocated, amongst different issues, much less protectionism and isolation and extra transatlantic cooperation. Unfortunately, there are additionally tendencies in the direction of isolation below the incumbent US President Joe Biden, mentioned Habeck in Washington. In the tip, each side would profit “if the two large economic areas succeed in developing strongly together.”

Asked in regards to the danger of additional isolation of the USA after a doable re-election of former President Donald Trump within the upcoming presidential election, Habeck mentioned he didn’t need to touch upon the excellent election marketing campaign within the USA. Looking again, he may say that Trump “broken” all cooperation codecs. “This cannot be in the interests of the Americans. Nationalism harms the economy, harms peace and harms people.”

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Habeck left for his journey to the USA on Wednesday. In the US capital he first met a delegation of enterprise representatives. Talks with the US ministers of financial affairs, finance and vitality are deliberate for Thursday.

Germany's most necessary gross sales market

He additionally traveled to the USA to point out “what opportunities we have to grow together,” mentioned the President of the Federation of German Industries, Siegfried Russwurm. “Not everyone in the U.S. is convinced.”

Trump has already introduced that he’ll massively enhance tariffs if he’s re-elected. The USA is an important gross sales marketplace for German firms, which is why the German Economic Institute in Cologne expects billions in harm to the German economic system if Trump returns to the White House after the election in November.