German gas bills will increase significantly from the fall. Faced with the difficulties of suppliers, Berlin introduced a surcharge on invoices and announced aid for individuals who would have difficulty paying their invoices.
With our correspondent in Berlin, Pascal Thibault
The shock will be severe in the fall for the Germans who heat themselves with gas: 480 euros more per year for a family with two children. A levy of 2.4 centimes per kilowatt hour will be added to the current price from 1 October. The measure, in place until April 1, 2024, should allow suppliers who have to buy much more expensive gas due to declining Russian deliveries to pass on their additional costs and avoid serious financial consequences.
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Not everyone is affected in the same way, but the government wanted to avoid distortions of competition. Berlin could have directly supported struggling suppliers, but that would have been expensive, and higher prices must push consumers to make energy savings.
The government, which has already released two aid packages of 30 billion euros, is already announcing a third for individuals to cushion the shock. Liberal Finance Minister Christian Lindner pleaded last week for tax measures worth ten billion euros. But these allies on the left, social democrats and greens, believe that these proposals do not sufficiently benefit the most modest. They plead for direct support for these people.
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