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Economics Minister Habeck in Berlin
Photo:
FILIP SINGER/EPO
Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck has accused some supplying states of natural gas of excessive prices.
»Some countries, including friendly ones, sometimes achieve moon prices.
Of course, that brings with it problems that we have to talk about," Habeck told the Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung.
He is counting on the EU Commission to talk about this with the friendly states.
The Green politician mentioned the United States in this context.
“The US approached us when oil prices skyrocketed, and Europe's national oil reserves were tapped as a result.
I think such solidarity would also be good for curbing gas prices," said Habeck, referring to the government in Washington.
In the minister's view, the EU should "bundle its market power and orchestrate intelligent and synchronized purchasing behavior by the EU states so that individual EU countries do not outbid each other and drive up world market prices".
The European market power is "enormous" and only has to be used.
On Tuesday, the federal and state governments spent several hours discussing the financing of relief measures in the energy crisis worth billions.
However, there was no final agreement on a cost allocation at the meeting.
The meeting in the Chancellery was about the third relief package decided at the beginning of September with a volume of around 65 billion euros, for which financing issues between the federal and state governments are still unresolved.
In addition, the "defense shield" of up to 200 billion euros announced last week, which is intended to support consumers and companies because of the rise in energy prices, was also discussed.
The core of this project is the electricity and gas price brake - for which it is not yet clear how it should look in concrete terms.
Scholz is expecting a concrete model for the
gas price
brake soon
Also on Tuesday - before the consultations of the federal and state governments - there was an announcement on the subject of gas price brakes: A commission of experts set up by the federal government on the subject wants to present a proposal on the weekend.
The Commission is working flat out to present politicians with recommendations for a balanced and practicable gas price brake as quickly as possible.
Gas prices should be capped for at least part of consumption so that private households and companies are not overwhelmed.
Scholz said on Tuesday evening that he assumed that there would be results next week, to which the federal government could then respond "immediately".
It should be clear to everyone what their relief will look like in concrete terms.
"That's something that has to be done very well."
aar/dpa