me up to germany's employment figures improved last month. does that spell hope for the many restaurants and hospitality businesses that have been losing staff during dependent and we'll take a look at what rising energy costs mean for the producers of one of germany's most important materials. aluminum on cross cobra. berlin, welcome to the program. european union energy ministers have agreed on an e, you wide levy on fossil fuel companies, record profits, the levy would affect profits made both this year, and so the beginning of 2023. the agreement also includes another levy on access revenues, low cost power producers make from soaring electricity costs and calls for a mandatory 5 percent cut in electricity usage during peak price period. by introducing e y measures brussels hopes to overlay governments uneven national approaches to

the energy crunch. germany set out a $200000000000.00 euro package on thursday to tackle rising energy costs, including a gas price cap. but it is unclear of this latest move by the use. energy ministers can turn the tide of exploding energy prices just over a year ago and august 20, 211 megawatt hour cost, around $83.00 euros on the european market. now it's tough to $464.00 euros. the jump was caused by the massive increase in natural gas prices, which is a critical fuel for european power plants. according to figures of the organization for economic cooperation and development, we see d. the price a spike in natural gas is the main factor driving energy costs higher across the market. while the price of running natural gas power plants is the rise,

the production cost for renewables remain largely unchanged. but businesses and consumers are still paying higher prices for power produced by environmentally friendly sources, resulting in large profits for energy firms. all right, let's get more of this from alex cobham. he is the head of the tax justice network, a group aiming to highlight and come back. tax avoidance, welcome to the w alex. let's take a look at what energy ministers have been agreeing on. so a levy on fossil fuel companies surplus profits, a levy on acts as revenues of low cost power producers. that seems quite comprehensive. is it? it's a pretty good step. yeah. and it's what we hope to see in other countries around the world too. we know that, you know, prices have genuinely risen, but at the same time, the profits of the companies that are selling them on to us as consumers have risen

much more dramatically. and so taking a share of those really and profits that just the excess rent on being an incumbent in this market at this moment. taking a share of that, bringing back international revenues in order to protect people seems crucial. but we need to see that protection. we need to see how you member states will use these additional revenues to protect people on the lowest incomes to protect businesses. they don't necessarily have long term contractual arrangements to, to allow them to continue with these high prices. how much money do you think this measure will generate? so the numbers that being talked about in the region of a 140000000000 euros. so significant sums, but not yet at the level that i think will need to protect the type of against the type of spike in poverty and precariousness of peoples. people's livings that we're seeing across every member state right now. because if we look at germany alone,

i mean that the government just yesterday agreed on a massive financial shield worth 200000000000 euros. i mean, that's just, you know, one large economy by itself for that matter. how should you distribute these proceeds when they come in? well, that's a good point. we need to be thinking both about the relative size of economies, but also the need in those economies. but i go further, this is an important step and it normalizes the idea that it's reasonable to tanks, excess profits. and that's important. but we know we've got excess profits in a whole set of other industries, not least the tech sector, which is done extremely well during the pandemic. because so much competition machine and to public health reasons. and we need to see individual member state. also picking this up and then going after the kind of corporate tax abuses that cost all of us and a great deal of money. and really these are these resources that are needed right

now to protect people who are living through this cost of living crisis. alex, obviously you spend a good amount of time thinking about this, these things. i'm, how do you define an access profit? so it's reasonably straightforward actually, and the companies would have you hear that it's very complex and difficult to know . let's not go there. but actually, you know, we've had an entire process at the cd to identify an actual residual profits. and there's a technical basis in place that's been largely agreed. you're effectively saying, look, what was the return on your capital over the comparison period, and what's a reasonable return? anything that's above that over sustained period, in this case of the price spike. but equally, we could look at the pandemic above that. that isn't about investment. you've made, it's just that you got lucky because of what happened in the world that access and we can attach that at a higher rate because it's basically an on the rent,

not right, something clever you did as a business. but just because you got lucky take some of the money you've made back in order to help the public get through the same thing, which is generated. there's excess profits for you to her fan fairness. all right, we have to leave it at that alex couple head of the attacks, just network. thank you for your thoughts. thank. the number of unemployed people in germany fell in september by 62000 to 2, nearly 2 and a half 1000000. a data from the federal employment agency shows the labor market remain stable overall. despite arising prices, concerns about energy shortages and weakening consumption. the number of registered java consisted of 873000 up about 70000. on the year, the agency says it hailed an autumn revival and jobs market and said it was optimistic on the outlook now with less germs looking for work. some industries are

finding it hard to keep their rosters fall. the catering industry, in particular, saw tens of thousands of waiters and cook, switch to more secure jobs during the pandemic, and that's forcing some business owners to roll up their own sleeves. restaurant manager, antonio de la fuente. he is also serving guests to day. that's because he can get enough stuff even have to cutting, opening hours to afternoons, only with his service. go with $100.00 gas at full capacity and for waiters. that's 100 guess. we're every waiter. even if they're fast and experienced . that's tough work. you can do it at times that, but not always. and that's our problem. how many of you know, all that is the problem? the restaurant had 41 employees before the pandemic to day is only 16. many left the food service industry during the lock downs. the work was insecure and there furlow pay to low. the restaurants revenue tumbled 40 percent.

oh got it. then the a nixa saw him upload is a lot if something similar happens when we start the season next april. i can't imagine how we can continue operating. not my law, which i haven't got. it's not just the pandemic that's causing work as to leave the industry as former restaurant managers, the boston call. after 3 decades and food service. he noticed a change in perspectives among younger workers, warren and now our business is finished. i talked to you or can weakens, isn't attractive for them working public holidays and into the night isn't attractive. and young people just have enough alternatives to get into other industries. for buffer, that's what form of food server l if caught did. she moved into retail when she worked in the restaurant, her wrists ached from carrying heavy trays. but that's not the only reason she was

unhappy. father came for a little. i didn't have a family life any more, no time for other people. and of course, you don't get any recognition when you work in hospitality, neither financially nor mentally. long time. her base salary has tripled. she now looks after customers of kitchens, that swedish furniture maker, ikea, and coffee doesn't work, shifts or nights, lots of mental ill illness and ha, what i feel mentally is that i'm doing just fine here. when i go home, i am calm. i've become more balanced to the von ben. the food service industry is trying to compete with higher wages. but finding staff remains a major challenge. nozer said questions over gas apply or putting incredible pressure on industries across europe and in germany, in particular. electricity prices are up tenfold since last year, and some plans are already shuddering production. the production of liquid aluminum

has a long tradition in german industry. this process is called few salt electrolysis and it consumes a lot of electricity. one ton of aluminum requires 15000 kilowatt hours based on electricity prices this summer. that means around 6000 euros. the company can sell the aluminum for around 2000 euros. so what are they going to do? think of, i think there'll be declines and production. we're already seeing that i very much hope we can avoid industry coming to a standstill on a large scale with over 2000 years of history, noises, one of germany's oldest cities today, it's a prosperous industrial city and is particularly affected by the energy crisis. there are 3 large aluminum plants around the city, one of which is already have its production. fear is sweeping the region perhaps, rightly so. is not, i mean is that in a situation like this winter where we have a shortage of resources,

it makes no sense to keep energy intensive industries artificially in production low in quite simply because energy is extremely scarce. yes. therefore, it makes sense to do without energy intensive production right now, because the energy is needed more urgently elsewhere in the loop. so shut down everything in the winter for the aluminum industry, this is absurd. the process is expensive and complicated. they want help from the state. the mine is on the one hand, i think we urgently need a europe wide, industrial electricity price fuel and that would stabilize the situation for our industry. this is of another, but of course that's not something you can develop and roll out within a couple of weeks. so it's not going to work unless there's emergency aid on the ski in high school. of the thought, if there's a distribution problem, household transport and service providers also need energy and within the industry itself, there are different needs these sectors. you 3 quarters of all, industrial electricity. they're in danger. and unions are worried by job losses in

the, in ag, he intends, in, within the energy intensive industries. we're talking about 800000 of jobs in germany. that's an asset we can use to our advantage, especially when it comes to politics. the government tough to decide to give emergency aid to keep the energy intensive industry than business, or help employees find new jobs that could prove expensive for german taxpayers. and that's as shown as years old as more news and background information on our website. that's the w dot com slash business. i'm chris kolber on berlin. thanks for watching. have a successful day with

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