On December 12, 2023, an agreement was reached in the European Parliament on a draft of the EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), paving the way for its timely adoption. This raises the threat of further regulatory obligations for companies that produce with critical raw materials.

BLOMSTEIN hat Fastned bei dem erfolgreichen Angebot im Rahmen der Autobahnlose-Ausschreibung beraten. Die Autobahn GmbH hat am 9. Februar 2024 den Zuschlag auf das Angebot von Fastned in dem bereits 2021 eingeleiteten Vergabeverfahren erteilt. Fastned wird im Rahmen des Deutschlandnetzes in den nächsten Jahren an 34 Standorten an unbewirtschafteten Autobahnraststätten Schnellladeinfrastruktur errichten. Der Autobahnlose-Ausschreibung kommt eine maßgebliche Bedeutung für die Entstehung eines flächendeckenden Schnellladenetzes zu.

Das neue Jahr hat einige Neuerungen im Energie- und Stromsteuerrecht gebracht. Das besonders stromintensive produzierende Gewerbe kann angesichts der gestiegenen Strompreise nun von einer deutlichen Steuerentlastung (in Form einer erhöhten Entlastung) profitieren. Im Gegenzug wurde der Spitzenausgleich im Energie- und Stromsteuerrecht abgeschafft, der aber ohnehin nur große Industriekonzerne begünstigte. Die neu eingeführte Stromsteuerentlastung betrifft dagegen gerade auch den Mittelstand. Außerdem sind die Steuerentlastungen für die Kraft-Wärme-Kopplung und die Steuerbegünstigungen für Strom aus bestimmten Biomassen sowie aus Klär- und Deponiegas weggefallen. Schließlich wurde die Meldeschwelle für Unternehmen, die Beihilfen in Form von Vergünstigungen bei der Energie- und Stromsteuer erhalten, gesenkt. Diese Neuerungen werden im Folgenden erläutert.

The German Federal Government and the European Union have recently announced further steps to promote the expansion of the European and global green hydrogen economy. To this end, they will provide financial support totaling to over one billion euro in two separate funds: the Innovation Fund by the European Union (EUR 800 million) and the PtX Development Fund financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (EUR 270 million). Both sources of funding are now open for participation, with deadlines for application expiring on 1 March 2024 (PtX Development Fund) and 8 February 2024 (Innovation Fund Auction).

BLOMSTEIN represents Fastned in review proceedings concerning the award of contracts for the construction, maintenance and operation of fast charging stations at serviced rest stops on the German federal highways. The contract had been awarded to companies of the Tank & Rast Group by the Autobahn GmbH of the German Government without conducting a competitive public procurement procedure.

On 18 April, the European Parliament adopted the CBAM, an unprecedented carbon border adjustment charge, which takes into account the greenhouse gas emissions embedded in imported goods of emissions-intensive sectors with a high risk of so-called “carbon leakage”. Carbon leakage takes place when, for reasons of costs related to climate policies in the EU, businesses transfer their production plants to other countries outside the bloc with less costly climate policies (see our briefing from July 2021). The initiative is part of the 2030 Climate and Energy “Fit for 55” legislative package under the European Green Deal, an ambitious plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% until 2030 compared to the levels of 1990.

In its ruling dated March 9, 2023, in the case C-571/21, the ECJ clarified that electricity manufacturers are entitled to exemption from electricity tax for a large number of operations that are upstream and downstream of the actual generation of electricity, in accordance with an interpretation of national law that is consistent with EU law. The ECJ thus sets limits to the hitherto prevailing view in customs administration and case law.

Germany is moving forward with its tender structure for purchasing Green Hydrogen (GH2) subproducts, such as ammonia, methanol, and aviation fuel from countries outside the EU. It is the first time that this unique scheme is being implemented, aiming to foster the international market of GH2. Although the deadline is approaching, there is still time to take part of it. Nevertheless, these are the first tenders of a recurrent and regular purchase procedure, in order to bring the necessary security on the demand side, so that the new projects on the supplier side can be structured.