The event took place as part of the Lower Saxony Ministry of Justice’s “Week of Justice” and was organized jointly by Prof. Dr. Steffen Lampert of the Institute of Constitutional, Administrative and Business Law at Osnabrück University and the Lower Saxony Ministry of Finance.
In the Castle Auditorium in Osnabrück, the high school students—all of whom are taking the advanced course in politics and economics—discussed topics such as tax justice, tax evasion, and the role of the tax system with Dr. Alexander Dütz from the Lower Saxony Ministry of Finance, Stefan Przybilka, a judge at the Lower Saxony Finance Court who is currently working at the Federal Ministry of Finance, and Prof. Dr. Steffen Lampert from Osnabrück University about, among other things, tax justice, tax evasion, and Germany’s competitiveness in an international context. Very specific questions about everyday tax issues were also addressed, such as the tax rebate on fuel or the introduction of a sugar tax.
“Tax fairness is not a question with a single, universally valid answer. It touches on fundamental questions about how we, as a society, distribute burdens and what standards we apply in doing so,” explains Steffen Lampert, professor of public law, finance, and tax law at Osnabrück University. “That is precisely why it is important to expose young people to these issues early on and give them the opportunity to ask critical questions and weigh different positions against one another. After all, they are the ones who will one day finance this country.”
Tax consultant Marcel Verwaal from the Netherlands brought a unique perspective to the discussion. He commented on the individual topics from a Dutch perspective, highlighting both similarities and differences between the two countries. This gave the students direct insight into how countries face similar challenges but sometimes respond to them with different tax policy approaches.
“Looking beyond Germany’s borders makes it clear that tax policy is always also a matter of political decisions and societal priorities,” said Lampert. “International comparison helps us avoid taking our own tax system for granted and instead question its goals, effects, and possible alternatives.”
Further information for the media:
Prof. Dr. Steffen Lampert, Osnabrück
University, School of Law
