The Czech government has made its six-month EU Council Presidency a success with the necessary balance of tact and persistence.
“We will convene as many energy councils as is necessary.” For months, the Czech Energy Minister, Jozef Síkela, never tired of pointing out his determination to negotiate until the 27 member states under his presidency agreed to contain the exalted gas prices have agreed. If necessary, he would schedule as many sessions as necessary to achieve a breakthrough. This Monday, in the early evening, the time had come. At their fifth extraordinary Council meeting (in addition to two regular and one informal one in Prague) during the Czech EU Council Presidency, the member states decided on the mechanism that will in future act as a gas price cap to dampen excessively high fluctuations. But even on the occasion of this laboriously fought-for agreement, Síkela and his negotiating team were breathing down their necks: At the final press conference, they wore white hoodies with the motto of their efforts to achieve this energy-political agreement on it: “We will convene as many Energy Councils as necessary.”
Climate protection and the rule of law
With the necessary mix of expertise, tenacity and composure, the Czechs achieved numerous legislative successes. It was only a week ago that the Council and the European Parliament agreed on important parts of the “Fit for 55” package of legislative projects. This means the goal of reducing the EU’s greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent below the 1990 level by 2030. Major changes in the European economy and way of life are necessary because there are only seven years left until 2030, and in the 32 years since 1990 the EU has only reduced its contribution to climate change by around 32 percent, according to the EU Environment Agency.