The German gas price tax will cost a family of four about 500 euros per year. The additional tax was created to support gas importers in their search for alternatives to Russian gas. The price of such gas is now quite high, so gas companies such as Uniper had problems earlier.
The tax is 2.4 euro cents per kilowatt-hour, according to a report by the German gas market umbrella organization Trading Hub Europe. The tax is intended for both consumers and businesses.
A family with two children is expected to pay an additional 480€ per year as a result of the tax. If VAT is charged on it, this amount can rise to 570 euros. Germany asked the European Commission if the tax might be exempt from value-added tax.
The German business community will also feel the gas price tax. The German steel industry says costs to the sector will rise by 500 million euros annually as a result of the tax.
As in the Netherlands, the Germans also note the consequences of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. For example, energy is becoming significantly more expensive, while prices at pumps are also rising. Berlin tried to ease the burden on homes, for example by cutting fuel taxes. Moreover, the government plans to manipulate the tax brackets.