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Uniper headquarters in Düsseldorf: Do consumers also have to support a state-owned company with the gas surcharge?
Photo:
Federico Gambarini / dpa
Although the ailing gas importer Uniper is about to be nationalized, the energy company E.on is demanding that the controversial gas levy be adhered to.
"The gas surcharge makes sense because it distributes additional costs arising from the replacement procurement evenly and predictably, supports the importers and, in particular, can protect the municipal utilities in the area from insolvency," said a company spokesman for the "Rheinische Post".
Not everything went right with the construction of the levy, but of all the options discussed so far, the gas levy is the most viable option, especially in combination with the third relief package.
The gas surcharge is intended to support importers who get into difficulties because of the high purchase prices.
The surcharge for all gas users is currently set at around 2.4 cents per kilowatt hour.
According to the current status, the first advance payments should go to companies in November at the earliest.
The levy is to be introduced on October 1st.
Entrepreneurs look at the gas levy with incomprehension
In the view of the Union, this instrument can no longer be maintained by the federal government due to the planned multi-billion euro takeover of Uniper.
The deputy chairman of the Union parliamentary group, Jens Spahn, said on the TV station Welt: “The gas levy is no longer needed, if it is a state company, then the state should also secure the gas deliveries there with guarantees, for example, but not those additional burden on citizens.
The gas surcharge should be abolished.
That is clear now at the latest.«
The spokesman for the Union faction in the Bundestag, Andreas Jung, told the "Rheinische Post": "The gas levy must go." Instead, he called for a short-term limitation of energy prices and demanded targeted relief for average earners and trades, medium-sized companies and industry.
The state should not also make money from the cost explosion.
The Federal Association of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (BVMW) is also campaigning for the abolition of the gas surcharge.
"The gas allocation was knitted with a hot needle from the start and riddled with technical errors," said association head Markus Jerger to the Funke newspapers.
Many companies have only a lack of understanding for the statements on the gas levy from the Federal Ministry of Economics.
The federal government must do more to reduce the price of energy and reduce the electricity tax to the European minimum level.
Verivox: Gas is 43 percent more expensive for consumers on average
According to Uniper, a new stabilization package provides for the federal government to purchase the shares currently held by the Finnish energy group Fortum.
"As a result, it is intended that the federal government will receive a significant majority stake in Uniper," it said.
Accordingly, a capital increase of eight billion euros is also planned, which is to be subscribed exclusively by the federal government.
However, the group also emphasized that a final agreement had not yet been concluded.
One is still in final talks with the federal government and Fortum.
The Finnish group currently holds almost 78 percent of Uniper.
Nothing was known about the possible purchase price.
Should that happen, Economics Minister Robert Habeck has expressed “doubts under the financial constitution” with regard to the gas surcharge.
The Greens politician is also said to have indicated that the financing requirements for the gas suppliers are significantly higher than when the first rescue package for Uniper was negotiated.
According to the dpa news agency, however, the Federal Ministry of Finance said: “There are no legal concerns.
Economics Minister Habeck can introduce the gas levy he has proposed as planned.«
One thing is already clear: consumers will have to adjust to further increases in gas prices in the coming months.
The comparison portal Verivox told the Funke newspapers that basic suppliers had announced gas price increases in 537 cases for October and November.
The price will increase by an average of 43 percent.
For a family with a basic gas consumption of 20,000 kilowatt hours, this means additional annual costs of 967 euros.
apr/Reuters/dpa-AFX
