EU to allow Germany to keep energy surcharge rebates - report

Mar 18, 2014 - Joaquin Almunia, EU's antitrust chief, will allow many major German companies to keep discounts on green energy surcharges, daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung reported, citing an internal EU paper.

Almunia has long been trying to make Germany reduce the discounts it grants to its biggest industrial energy consumers, arguing that such exemptions distort competition.

But now he appears ready to make more concessions by allowing Germany companies in 65 energy-intensive sectors to keep their preferential status, the newspaper reported, citing an internal draft outlining the new EU guidelines for the promotion of green energy.

In addition to the steel and aluminium sectors, which Almunia said last month would remain exempt from the surcharge, lumbermills, fruit juice makers, the paper industry, and industrial gases makers will be among those spared the surcharge, the report said.

German companies will save about EUR 5 billion (USD 7bn) in 2014 thanks to the exemptions.

(EUR 1 = USD 1.391)

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