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Gas meter in Dusseldorf
Photo: A3276 Martin Gerten/ dpa
According to the EU Commission, VAT must be levied on the gas surcharge for German customers.
"There is no possibility for an exception to this type of tax," said a Commission spokesman in Brussels.
However, one wants to find a solution together with Germany so that the end customer is relieved in the same way as if the tax were waived.
»We share with Germany the wish that this measure will not have unintended tax consequences.«
Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) failed with his request that the EU should make an exception for the levy.
It has been set at around 2.4 cents per kilowatt hour.
For a household of four, this can mean an annual burden of around 480 euros - with 19 percent VAT it would be more than 570 euros.
However, the federal government has already stated that if the EU does not allow the exception, the tax will be compensated for consumers in other ways.
She has not yet given any further details.
dab/Reuters
