European energy ministers said they were in favor this Friday, September 9, of a series of emergency measures to stem the rise in gas and electricity bills, even mentioning a cap on the price of gas imports from the EU. .
Gathered in Brussels, the representatives of the Twenty-Seven knew they were expected to stem the surge in energy prices, as winter approached. European ministers have agreed on a ” common orientation » to stem the surge in energy prices caused by the Russian offensive in Ukraine.
” We will introduce unprecedented measures next week to respond to an unprecedented situation explained Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson.
Ahead of the meeting, the European executive had submitted to the Member States several possible, often complex, mechanisms, with the hope of arriving by Wednesday at a legislative project sufficiently consensual to be quickly approved.
While the idea of confiscating superprofits from nuclear and renewables to redistribute them was welcomed, as was a possible objective to reduce electricity consumption, the proposal to cap the price of gas paid to Russia was debated.
Threats from Moscow
While Moscow threatens to stop its deliveries if such a mechanism is applied, Hungary, still very dependent on Russian hydrocarbons, has shown its fierce opposition to this “ new disguised sanction “likely to cause a” shortage “, while Prague denounced “ an unconstructive idea “.
Finally, ” the prevailing opinion was that we needed a cap on gas “, whatever its origin, “ but the Commission must be given time to refine how to implement it said Czech Industry Minister Jozef Sikela.
In France, the measures taken by Brussels were carefully scrutinized. And for Frank Roubanovitch, the president of Cleee, the association bringing together companies that are large consumers of electricity and gas in France, this is not enough.
Business concern is at its peak and the minimum we can expect from the European Commission are urgent decisions
Franck Rabounovitch “There is urgency”
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