DThe federal states want to bring forward the planned relief for citizens and companies through a gas price brake in the coming year. “Effective from January 1st would be significantly better than effective from March,” said North Rhine-Westphalia’s Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst (CDU) on Friday in Hanover after consultations with the heads of government of the federal states. Otherwise, the gas price brake would have to take effect retrospectively from the beginning of 2023.
Lower Saxony’s Prime Minister Stephan Weil (SPD) made a similar statement. “We need quick decisions,” he said. According to the federal government, the planned electricity price brake should also come into force on January 1st, he reported. “We really appreciate that,” Weil said.
He expects decisions to be made at the next meeting of the prime ministers on November 2 with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD). “We currently have a decision backlog, we want to clear this backlog,” said Weil. Many questions – such as which basic consumption should be capped at which maximum price – are still open.
Social institutions should also benefit
Municipal and social institutions should also benefit from the relief provided by the announced gas price brake. That became clear during the consultations with representatives of the federal government, said Wüst. That is a “good signal” for the municipalities, which in many areas have the same concerns as everyone else.”
The decision of the Prime Ministers’ Conference (MPK) states: “The proposed gas price brake must also be applied to public buildings, facilities and municipal companies as well as clubs and in the areas of education, culture and sport.”
According to Wüst, the rising energy prices also affect people who heat with oil and wood pellets. These citizens should also be relieved. “In the end, there must be no division in the country along the energy sources,” said the CDU politician. In North Rhine-Westphalia alone, a quarter of the people heat with oil or wood pellets.
The prime ministers had previously discussed the energy crisis with Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) and Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP).
