Unlawful under EU law?
Gewessler criticizes German gas storage levy
As reported, the gas levy introduced by Germany in 2022 not only makes it more difficult to phase out Russian gas, it also makes this energy source more expensive for Austria as a whole. Energy Minister Leonore Gewessler is now increasing the pressure on the German government to end this unsupportive measure.
The fee is "not compatible with EU law". It makes gas imports to Austria more expensive and makes it more difficult to diversify the countries of origin, Gewessler said in Vienna on Tuesday.
The increase in this fee has noticeably reduced imports of non-Russian gas via Germany. "This is something that makes life more difficult for us," criticized the Green politician. EU Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson also pointed out at the beginning of March after the most recent EU Energy Council that such measures by individual states could jeopardize the wider distribution of European gas imports. According to the Commission, it is in contact with the German authorities in this regard.
Berlin: "Levy also affects German companies"
The gas storage levy is a surcharge on the gas price that was introduced during the energy crisis. Germany wants to use the levy to cover the costs of gas storage. German State Secretary for Energy Sven Giegold (Greens) recently defended the surcharge and emphasized that it is also levied on German companies and consumers and is therefore not discriminatory. "We would welcome a European solution," he told journalists, without making it clear exactly what measure he had in mind.
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