The gas surcharge is intended to save stumbling importers. According to the current status, it will also flush VAT into the state coffers from October. The federal government wants to prevent that. Finance Minister Lindner is now turning to the EU Finance Commissioner with a request.
Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner has asked for an exception at EU level so that Germany does not have to levy VAT on the state gas surcharge. In a letter to EU Finance Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni, the FDP politician writes: “VAT on state levies is driving up prices and is encountering increasing resistance from the population, especially in the current, extraordinary situation.”
Lindner asks Gentiloni to use his right of initiative and give the EU states the option of not levying VAT on government levies in the energy sector for a while. Irrespective of this, Germany will apply for an exception under Article 395 of the VAT Directive.
From October, the federal government will levy a gas surcharge to prevent importers from collapsing as a result of severely curtailed Russian gas supplies. The importers can use this to pass on some of the additional costs when purchasing gas. The Economics Ministry assumes that gas consumers, companies and private households, will have to pay an additional 1.5 to 5 cents per kilowatt hour.
The federal government would like to exempt the surcharge from VAT so that the state does not earn money from it – but this has not yet been provided for under European law. On Monday, the so-called market area manager Trading Hub Europe, a joint venture of the gas transmission system operators, wants to announce the exact amount of the gas surcharge.
