EU: flexibility already granted, letter from Meloni not yet received

"We have already given more flexibility to member states." This was stated by EU Commission spokeswoman Paula Pinho, when asked during the meeting with the press on Italy's request for greater flexibility in light of the high levels of inflation.

"We have not yet received the letter" sent by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, however, specified spokesperson Balazs Udjvari, then recalling the characteristics of the national safeguard clause also extended to energy as well as defense investments.

Temporary measures to reduce the impact of the costs of the ETS system on energy prices, greater flexibility in the allocation of quotas and postponement of the entry into force of ETS 2 for transport and buildings. These are some of the proposals that Italy and the Czech Republic are putting forward to deal with "the current energy shock" in a joint document, received yesterday by the EU Commission in view of the EU Summit on 15 and 16 October. "A suspension of the ETS would provide relief to the industry" but "in the absence of support, it is worth considering a series of targeted alternatives", reads the paper, seen by ANSA.

EU: 'High-level contacts with the US on oil and diesel supplies'

The EU Commission is in "contact with member states and the US administration" on a possible release of oil stocks. A spokeswoman for the European executive said this at the press briefing on possible contacts with the USA to urge the release of US diesel stocks to avoid an export ban by the USA.

"Tomorrow there will be an important meeting of the governing council of the International Energy Agency" to evaluate the hypothesis. "We are maintaining high-level contacts with the US administration. So there are a lot of meetings and contacts going on."