The first advance payments for the controversial gas surcharge are actually possible from September. The Economics Minister now wants to collect these later. This gives Habeck more time to limit the group of eligible companies to those that are really in need.
Economics Minister Robert Habeck wants to buy more time in the debate about the controversial gas levy. The first advance payments are to be postponed to the end of October, according to a draft by the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The advance payments for the months of October and November 2022 should “not be due before October 31, 2022”, it says. According to the current legal situation, advance payments would be possible as early as September.
“Any financing needs of the gas importers arising from the postponement of the due date must be borne by them themselves,” says the draft. Should the importers have to make use of additional financial instruments, the federal government will “take the necessary measures” upon submission of the legal requirements.
Habeck, on the other hand, does not want to change the introduction of the levy on October 1st. The gas surcharge is intended to support gas importers who get into trouble because of the high purchase prices for Russian gas. Actually, they cannot pass on these additional costs within the framework of existing contracts. The surcharge for all gas users is currently set at around 2.4 cents per kilowatt hour. Habeck tries to limit the group of eligible companies so that only companies that are really in need benefit.
The government wants to revise the levy again for this purpose. She wants to limit the group of eligible companies to those in need. Some traders are highly profitable and can absorb losses by buying additional gas. With the exclusion of these companies, however, the amount of the surcharge would change at least slightly from around 2.4 cents. In addition, the change must be legally clarified with the EU. It also has to be regulated how customers with fixed-price gas contracts over several years and with district heating deliveries are treated. According to the basic idea, they also have to pay the surcharge. Legally, however, this is considered insufficiently anchored in the current law.
Representatives of the traffic light coalition said the Bundestag could still deal with the levy at the end of September. In the course of October she would then come to the Federal Council, the changes would then have to apply retrospectively. With a view to the ailing importers such as Uniper or VNG, however, the government is under pressure to provide them with additional help. This would be all the more urgent if the payments on account of the surcharge came later.
From the point of view of the Union, the entire concept behind the gas surcharge is wrong. “Bogus remains botch – even if it is postponed,” said parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn. Hectic touch-ups didn’t make it any better. The levy must be abolished.
