DIn its final report, the “Gas and Heat Expert Commission” insists on its model for a one-time payment to gas customers in December. According to information from the FAZ, it is opposed to a draft law by the Federal Ministry of Economics that became known last week Model advantageous as it includes greater incentives for private households to save gas In order to prevent gas shortages in winter, households and companies must use around 20 percent less gas than in previous years.
The Commission, which has drawn up relief proposals on behalf of the Federal Government, is proposing a one-off payment for December based on consumption, on which the down payment from September 2022 was based. The federal government should take over this payment. The fact that the amount of the payment is based on the September deduction is intended to prevent consumers from heating wastefully in December and thus consuming a lot of gas and state money. According to the Commission, the suppliers consider this path to be feasible and can be implemented quickly.
The Federal Ministry of Economics, on the other hand, is aiming for a calculation basis for the relief that would increase with higher consumption in December. According to the draft law from the House of Minister Robert Habeck (Greens), the total annual consumption for the year 2022 is to be determined and then one twelfth of this price is to be reimbursed. The price on the key date of December 1 should apply.
Longer-term gas price brake from March
According to the Commission, the higher the consumption in a household in December, the greater the financial relief. The administrative effort can also be higher. The December relief should relieve consumers quickly. From March onwards, a longer-term gas price brake is to apply, with which, according to the Commission’s proposal, a base of monthly consumption is to be subsidised.
The time for a decision is pressing. The federal government wants to decide on the model in the cabinet next Wednesday. On Monday, the Gas Commission will present its final report as part of the “Concerted Action” in Berlin.
Companies should be given a location
Compared to the interim report, the Commission is apparently proposing stricter requirements for companies in its final report. Companies should only be relieved if they keep their locations in Germany, reports the “Handelsblatt”. For this, the companies should have to conclude a location and transformation agreement.
In its interim report, the Commission of Experts had proposed using subsidies to limit the gas procurement price for the first 70 percent of consumption to seven cents per kilowatt hour for large industrial consumers. Around 25,000 companies in Germany could take advantage of the help, which is due to take effect from January.
According to the media report, the commission has now formulated the conditions for the state aid in its final report: “The preservation of the location is usually proven by a location and transformation agreement between collective bargaining or company parties or in the supervisory board with equal participation.” companies do not exist, the Commission proposes an exception. Affected companies would then have to prove that 90 percent of the jobs would be preserved for at least one year after the end of state aid. “Otherwise, the support received must be repaid,” the report says.
