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Gas surcharge: After EU export – Scholz wants to pay VAT back to the population

2022-08-17T07:11:12.843Z


Gas surcharge: After EU export – Scholz wants to pay VAT back to the population Created: 08/17/2022, 08:59 By: Tobias Utz, Nail Akkoyun The amount of the gas surcharge is now fixed. Private households will therefore be more heavily burdened from October. Chancellor Scholz promises relief. Update from Wednesday, August 17, 8.45 a.m .: For consumers in Germany there will be no exception to the V


Gas surcharge: After EU export – Scholz wants to pay VAT back to the population

Created: 08/17/2022, 08:59

By: Tobias Utz, Nail Akkoyun

The amount of the gas surcharge is now fixed.

Private households will therefore be more heavily burdened from October.

Chancellor Scholz promises relief.

Update from Wednesday, August 17, 8.45 a.m .:

For consumers in Germany there will be no exception to the VAT on the gas levy.

The EU Commission confirmed on Tuesday (16 August) in Brussels that it is not possible to abolish the tax, contrary to what the federal government had hoped.

According to its own statements, the Commission is working together with Berlin on a solution regarding VAT.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) wants to pay back the VAT provided for the gas levy to the population.

(Archive photo) © Kay Nietfeld/dpa

According to Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the federal government now wants to quickly explore alternatives.

They want to talk to the EU Commission about "how we can return the money to the citizens," said the SPD politician.

"We will now discuss this approach very quickly with the Commission, then it will also be legally secure and can be implemented even before the surcharge is imposed."

Gas levy: Germany must levy VAT - EU rejects Lindner's request

Update from Tuesday, August 16, 2:30 p.m.:

Germany must levy VAT on the announced gas levy.

The EU Commission rejected a corresponding request for an exception by Finance Minister Christian Lindner.

"There is no possibility of an exception to this type of tax," said a Commission spokesman in Brussels, according to a Reuters report.

"We share with Germany the desire that this measure will not have unintended tax consequences." They now want to look for other solutions together, the spokesman said.

"It's getting more expensive": Scholz comments on the gas levy in Germany

+++ 4 p.m.:

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has commented on the announced gas levy.

In a statement, he assured the population of another relief package.

"We don't leave anyone alone with the higher costs," he wrote on Twitter.

At the same time, the chancellor admitted: “It will be more expensive

- there's no beating about it.

Energy prices continue to rise.” So far, state aid of over 30 billion euros has already been approved, Scholz continued.

+++ 3.30 p.m .:

Sören Pellmann, member of the Bundestag for the left from Leipzig, called for Monday demonstrations against the gas levy and other burdens in connection with the energy crisis.

He emphasized on Monday that the people in eastern Germany were hit particularly hard.

The gas surcharge is a "blow against the East" and "the sharpest social cut for citizens since the Hartz reforms of the 2000s," said Pellmann in Berlin.

According to Pellmann, the East is particularly vulnerable to skyrocketing energy prices because of lower incomes and reserves.

"For hundreds of thousands of East Germans, the gas levy is a slide into the existential crisis," said Pellmann.

"People should fight back.

We need new Monday demonstrations in the East like we did against Hartz IV.” “Monday demonstrations” are particularly well known for the protests in the context of the peaceful revolution in the GDR.

From 1989, hundreds of thousands demonstrated on the streets every Monday, including in Leipzig.

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Gas levy: amount is certain - Habeck wants further relief for the population

+++ 12.45 p.m .:

Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck wants further, targeted relief for citizens because of the state gas levy.

In addition, aid programs for the economy should be extended, the Green politician made clear on Monday in Berlin.

The surcharge will initially be 2.4 cents per kilowatt hour from autumn.

According to Habeck, twelve gas importers have reported their replacement procurement costs to Trading Hub Europe, a joint venture of the gas transmission system operators.

Based on the levy period up to the beginning of April 2024, these gas importers claimed 34 billion euros in costs, which corresponds to 90 percent of the expected replacement procurement costs for this period.

Gas surcharge in Germany: "Not an easy step"

The surcharge is intended to benefit gas suppliers who have to buy a replacement for the missing, cheaper gas volumes from Russia at high prices.

The levy is “by no means an easy step”, but necessary to maintain the heat and energy supply in private households and the economy, said Habeck.

"Otherwise the security of supply would be endangered." The surcharge must and will be accompanied by a further relief package.

"Energy prices have risen enormously overall as a result of the Russian war of aggression," says Habeck.

"Especially for those who don't have much, this is a heavy burden that is difficult or impossible to bear."

“But I think that further targeted relief is necessary.

In this crisis, we have to secure the democratic consensus in socio-political terms.”

Habeck reiterated that the state should ultimately not generate any higher VAT revenue from the levy.

"We're going to find a way to make sure there isn't an additional burden."

Gas allocation: The amount is fixed

+++ 12.00 p.m .:

The amount of the gas levy was announced.

"This will amount to 2.419 ct/kWh (EUR 24.19/MWh) and will be charged from October 1, 2022 on all gas quantities physically withdrawn daily from a balancing group for exit points with registered power measurement (RLM) and for exit points with standard load profiles (SLP)" , according to a message from the responsible Trading Hub Europe GmbH, a joint venture of the gas transmission system operators.

More to come.

First report from Monday, August 15, 11:30

a.m.: Berlin – The exact amount of the gas levy to save systemically important gas importers is to be announced on Monday (August 15) around 12:00 p.m.

This was announced by Trading Hub Europe GmbH, which is responsible for the publication, on Monday.

The joint venture of the German gas transmission system operators based in Ratingen in North Rhine-Westphalia makes the compensation payments to the importers.

THE then transfers the payments to the gas suppliers, who in turn will pass them on to all gas customers.

The surcharge is intended to help importers who are suffering from the reduction in gas supply volumes from Russia.

In order to meet their delivery obligations to public utilities, for example, they have to buy replacements at high prices on the stock exchange.


The Ministry of Economics recently assumed a range of 1.5 to 5 cents per kilowatt hour, which would mean considerable additional costs for customers.

Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) had said that he expected "several hundred euros per household" per year.

Gas surcharge: Greens want another relief package

Greens leader Ricarda Lang is pushing for a new relief package to be passed in parallel with the planned gas levy.

"We all want Germany to get through the winter safely," Lang said in Berlin on Monday.

"To do this, we have to strengthen social cohesion in the country." When the gas levy comes into force in October, a new relief package must therefore be available at the same time.

"Even if everyone has to pay the high energy prices, it will be people with small and middle incomes in particular who will face considerable difficulties," said Lang.

"The goal must be that they benefit more from the relief than those with strong shoulders who can carry more." That is a question of justice.


The coalition must now agree on the specific instruments for relief, said the Greens leader.

"In addition to a greatly expanded housing benefit or higher child benefit, a new edition of the energy price flat rate could also be suitable." It is also good that the Ministry of Finance is examining a waiver of VAT on the levy.

"A tax on war-related excess profits, as some companies are now doing in the crisis, can help to relieve those who suffer the most from the rising prices."



The amount of the gas levy is to be announced on Monday.

The Federal Ministry of Economics has given a range of 1.5 cents to five cents.

In addition to the increased gas prices, a family household will face additional costs of several hundred euros.

The gas surcharge is intended to relieve companies that have to buy gas elsewhere for a lot of money to fulfill their contracts because of the reduced deliveries from Russia.

You are currently not allowed to pass on your additional costs.

From October, the surcharge should compensate for 90 percent of their additional costs.

(nak/tu with AFP/dpa)

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2022-08-17

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