The EU approves measures that have already been agreed to curb excessive electricity prices. However, at the beginning of the heating season, there is disagreement on the cardinal question of how gas prices can be reined in.
Brussels. An obligation to save electricity, the skimming off of random profits from the energy industry amounting to up to 140 billion euros a year and a solidarity levy of at least 33 percent on the profits of the operators of thermal power plants: the energy ministers of 26 member states and Hungary’s pro-Kremlin foreign minister gave their blessing in no time on Friday Brussels approved three major measures to curb the electricity prices, which have been rising inexorably since last year.
“This is another piece of the puzzle, but definitely not the last,” said Czech Energy Minister Jozef Síkela, who chaired the Council, after it ended. “We have to keep working, we are in an energy war with Russia. Further, urgent and coordinated actions are necessary.” This applies above all to the question of measures to curb gas prices. The ministers made no progress on this issue. The European Commission is now to put together a group of experts to analyze options for this. “We know that this winter will be difficult. And next winter will be even more difficult,” said Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson. There is now hope, at least in the electricity market, that three measures will take effect as soon as they are formally adopted by the member states and published in the Official Journal of the EU, probably at the end of next week.