E.ON's €6.5bn ($5.9bn) German asset swap with BP looks set to avoid the German tax problems stalling the sale of its aluminium business.

E.ON and its advisers Credit Suisse First Boston on the BP deal are understood to be safe from the problems that are besetting E.ON over the €2.3bn sale of its VAW aluminium unit to CVC Capital Partners, a European private equity fund. CSFB declined to comment.