Brussels calls on EU states to take measures to contain the volatility of energy prices

The directions

The letter is addressed to the twenty-seven EU energy ministers, including Gilberto Pichetto Fratin: it was sent by Commissioner Dan Jorgensen, who urged the capitals to implement measures in the wake of those adopted in 2022 at the height of the energy crisis triggered by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The idea is to limit price volatility by trying to contain it even in the smallest daily behaviors. The commissioner encourages energy vouchers and social tariffs, aid to industries conditioned on energy efficiency interventions and incentives for zero-emission mobility. But the importance of reducing electricity consumption is also underlined, including the idea of ​​turning off unnecessary public lighting and avoiding the use of outdoor heating. All this while, as ANSA underlines, the EU is preparing for the new winter with gas reserves filled to just over 70% of capacity, still below the objective of filling them to at least 80% by December.

Next appointments

The indications from Brussels are on the table of the Energy Council in which the ministers will discuss in Dublin in an informal meeting. Tomorrow there will also be a meeting between experts from the European Commission and member states in the oil coordination group, to assess the state of supplies and decide whether to push the Irish presidency of the EU to convene an extraordinary meeting of transport ministers in the coming weeks. For now, the proposal to tax electricity more favorably than natural gas, put forward in July by Palazzo Berlaymont to lower bill prices, does not seem close. Many countries have expressed reservations about the hypothesis of a fiscal intervention. The issue of high prices will certainly be discussed at the European Summit on 15 and 16 October.