According to Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner, the gas levy no longer needs to be put to the test.

"There is no further examination, it has been completed," emphasized the FDP leader on Wednesday to the foreign press.

He contradicted the Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck.

The Greens politician had previously said that the gas surcharge would be raised, but that there would be a financial constitutional review.

But you have around three months, because only then will the Uniper nationalization be completed, according to Habeck.

When asked about this, Lindner said he "didn't hear" Habeck's statements.

Lindner pointed out that Habeck was personally present at the federal government's deliberations on the levy last week.

The decision that there were no legal concerns also applied in the event of Uniper being nationalized.

The ailing energy company Uniper is nationalized.

According to Habeck, the situation for Uniper has worsened significantly.

The federal government has therefore agreed on a stabilization package in which it will ultimately take over 99 percent of the shares in Germany's largest gas importer.

The gas surcharge should apply from October and also benefit Uniper.

Confederation takes over Uniper

Concerns about the gas levy were already circulating on Tuesday.

At first there were doubts as to whether it would be possible in its current form in terms of the financial constitution.

In that case, funding from the federal budget would have been up for debate.

A spokesman for Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) finally told the FAZ that there were no longer any legal concerns: "Economics Minister Habeck can introduce the gas levy he has planned as planned."

However, there are still open questions, such as the amount of the levy.

If gas importers like Uniper were nationalized, it would be difficult to imagine that these state-owned companies would then benefit from the levy that all private and commercial gas consumers are supposed to pay, it said on Tuesday in Berlin - especially since companies like RWE and Shell want to voluntarily do without it.

The government wants to prevent companies from benefiting from the levy that actually do not need the money.

This topic and the questions of how to deal with fixed contracts and gas heating customers should be on the agenda by September 28th at the latest.

According to FAZ information, solutions were found that are now being coordinated by the departments.

"We are reducing the number of companies eligible to apply so that free riders are not included," confirmed Habeck's spokeswoman.

The surcharge serves to compensate for the higher gas purchase prices of the companies.

The ordinance for the gas levy came into force on August 8th.

"Even if there are still some uncertainties as part of the collection of the gas surcharge, it can in principle be levied from October 1st," said Julia Schröder, the energy law expert at the Lower Saxony consumer center, the FAZ

According to Holger Schneidewind, consultant for energy law at the North Rhine-Westphalia consumer advice center, it is unclear, among other things, whether gas customers who have contracts with a price guarantee should be charged the surcharge.

He also points out that the gas surcharge is a "Lex Uniper".

Should the group be nationalized, there would be a new situation for gas customers.

There is speculation that the surcharge will be abolished again after a few months.

In general, price increase letters must be formulated in such a way that customers recognize the "reason, scope and requirements" for the adjustments.

But even the energy law experts in the consumer advice centers do not find it easy to say in the current confusing situation what exactly this transparency requirement requires.

“Possibly” the general reference to the increased procurement prices is sufficient, according to North Rhine-Westphalia.