BUNDESTAG ADOPTED A BILL TO ABOLISH DUTIES ON GAS TRANSIT TO NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES

The Bundestag has approved by a majority the bill to abolish duties on gas transit to neighboring countries, as Speaker of the Bundestag Bärbel Bas said in a live broadcast on the German parliament website.

The parliamentary majority – the SPD, the Greens and the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) – voted in favour of the bill submitted to the Bundestag by the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and Green factions. The parliamentary groups “The Left”, “Sarah Wagenknecht Union for Reason and Justice” (SUV), the Free Democrats (FDP) and the “Alternatives for Germany” group are against it.

The bill will then go to the Bundesrat for an accelerated process to approve the abolition of transit fees this year and for the provision to come into force by 1 January 2025.

Germany introduced transit fees in autumn 2022 to cover the costs of storing gas in fields and to ensure security of supply. The tax applies to German companies and consumers, as well as importers from neighbouring countries who purchase gas arriving via German pipelines.

Earlier, Austrian Minister for Climate, Environment and Energy Leonora Gewessler called on Germany not to hesitate to abolish tariffs on gas transit to neighboring countries in view of the changing price and supply situation. Gewessler did not rule out the possibility of appealing to the European Court if the process of eliminating the tariff is delayed.