Parliament approved the government’s amendment to the electricity cap with a majority on Wednesday to include households with more than three people from 1 June to 30 June next year, after criticism from the opposition and experts.
The electricity price cap, in force since the start of December for households with up to three persons, was extended to include households with more persons by Conservative-Green coalition during a special National Council session on Wednesday.
There will now be an electricity cost supplement subsidy of €105 per year, per additional person registered for households with more than three people, Environment Minister Leonore Gewessler and club Chairwoman of the Greens, Sigrid Maurer, said.
This comes on top of the basic quota of electricity consumption of up to 2,900 kilowatt-hours per year per metering point.
Besides, 700,000 multi-person households would also be covered by the benefits for cost containment in electricity bills, which would be automatic for more than half, said State Secretary Florian Tursky, adding that it would better reflect society from mid-2023.
To not unfairly disadvantage those who receive electricity for their residence from a supply contract classified as agricultural, forestry or commercial, access to the electricity cost subsidy is also opened up for this group until the end of 2024.
“We are not abandoning the farmers and entrepreneurs in this country”, Agriculture Minister Norbert Totschnig (ÖVP) said during the plenary session. The government is supporting people “quickly and unbureaucratically”, he added.
Despite supporting the amendment’s content, the opposition strongly criticised coalition parties for their approach and for putting forward a draft at such short notice.
The resolution’s content had only been available late Tuesday evening, members of the opposition, Social Democratic MP Jörg Leichtfried, Liberal NEOS MP Gerald Loacker and far-right FPÖ MP Axel Kassegger pointed out.
To ensure quality in the legislative process, Leichtfried said it should be referred back to the committee.
(Chiara Swaton | EURACTIV.de)
Source: euractiv.com
