Economics Minister Habeck is examining whether the gas levy can be improved – because according to the current model, companies that have no problems threatening their existence could also benefit from it. FDP, scientists and a prominent Green make suggestions.
The planned gas levy is causing criticism even after the possible corrections that have been promised. Opponents are calling for a fundamental reform or a complete waiver of the state levy that private households and industry are supposed to pay from October. The levy is intended to compensate for the sharp rise in costs for large importers due to the shortage of Russian gas supplies in order to protect them from bankruptcy and the German energy system from collapsing. All gas customers should pay an additional 2.4 cents per kilowatt hour.
It is criticized that companies that are doing well economically could also benefit. The federal government is therefore now examining corrections to the state levy. The FDP proposes a staged test procedure. The group of recipients should be restricted in such a way that only companies that have gotten into financial difficulties and where this has also been determined can claim compensation payments, said Michael Kruse, spokesman for energy policy for the FDP parliamentary group in the Bundestag, the “Rheinische Post”.
Experts from the employer-related Institute of the German Economy (IW) also called for criteria to be sharpened and the financial situation of companies and their systemic relevance to be taken more into account. At the same time, the economists in the editorial network Germany called the idea of ????dividing the additional costs of gas procurement through a levy on a solidarity basis correct.
The Greens politician Anton Hofreiter called for the “early start” on ntv to adjust the gas levy. In its current form it is a mistake: “The gas surcharge must change in such a way that companies that make huge profits simply do not benefit from it. That is not communicable.”
In addition, Hofreiter reiterated the demand of the Greens for an excess profit tax. This tax could also be used to finance further energy money. According to Hofreiter, he is assuming possible income of around 24 billion euros from an excess profit tax. “Let’s say 24 billion euros, let’s assume 80 million people. That would mean at least 300 euros per capita. For a family of four, that would be 1,200 euros.”
The President of the RWI-Leibniz Institute, Christoph Schmidt, considers the gas levy “in the current form to be poorly targeted”. “It would make more economic sense to specifically support the few companies that are actually in extreme difficulties, such as Uniper in particular, regardless of whether this is financed by a levy on gas consumers or with tax money,” he told the “Rheinische Post “.