The European Commission will bring a series of emergency measures for the Twenty-seven to curb the price of energy
The rise in gas prices has put Europe in an extreme situation. This Wednesday, the European Commission proposed a series of five emergency measures to deal with this “extraordinary situation”. Brussels wants to impose a limit on the Russian, reduce the demand for electricity from the member states and levy a tax on electricity companies.
The measures, to be discussed with member states at the Energy Council on Friday, aim to reduce Russia’s ability to finance the war in Ukraine and its “ability to blackmail the EU”. This has been explained by Community Executive President Ursula von der Leyen, who has continued to develop the content and form of the European recipe for the energy crisis.
“We are facing astronomical electricity prices and therefore we will take measures to protect the most vulnerable consumers,” he assured. In the first place, the European Commission proposes that the demand for electricity be reduced during peak hours, when combined plants – gas – will enter the electricity market.
Brussels has also proposed limiting the benefits of renewable energy sources, as well as the use of extraordinary profits from these companies and from oil and gas companies to support the most vulnerable families and companies. Similarly, it points out that Member States should also support public energy service companies in the face of market volatility.
The cap on the price of Russian gas is the Community Executive’s main metric, in line with the cap on oil imposed by the G7 countries. Russian President Vladimir Putin has already warned that such action will be completely cut off by Moscow. For its part, the EU relies on its gas supplies – reserves are already 82% – and on the rest of its suppliers to make up for the lack of that energy. «At the beginning of the war, we imported 40% of the gas from Russia. Today that percentage has fallen to 9%’, von der Leyen illustrates. The head of the Community Executive is convinced that the continent will emerge stronger from this crisis “with solidarity, unity and political determination”.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
