Federal Minister of Economics Habeck wants to postpone payment of the gas levy until the end of October. This emerges from a draft by the ministry. Payments would currently be possible as early as September.
Economics Minister Robert Habeck wants to buy more time in the debate about the controversial gas levy. The first advance payments are to be postponed to the end of October, according to a draft by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, which is available to the German Press Agency. The advance payments for the months of October and November 2022 should “not be due before October 31, 2022”, it says. According to the current legal situation, advance payments would be possible as early as September.
Habeck, on the other hand, does not want to change the introduction of the levy on October 1st. The gas surcharge is intended to support gas importers who get into trouble because of the high purchase prices for Russian gas. The surcharge for all gas users is currently set at around 2.4 cents per kilowatt hour. Habeck tries to limit the group of eligible companies so that only companies that are really in need benefit.
From the point of view of the Union, the entire concept behind the gas surcharge is wrong. “Bogus remains botch – even if it is postponed,” said parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn on Thursday of the German Press Agency. Hectic touch-ups didn’t make it any better. The levy must be abolished.
