According to the EU commission, Austria has no “clearly defined short-term plan” for full decoupling of Russian gas imports. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has exposed the fragility of our country’s energy security, Brussels said on Wednesday. Although Austria has been able to reduce its dependence, it is still well above the EU average.
The EU Commission positively emphasized that the share of Russian gas in Austria’s total imports was 57 percent last year – a year earlier it was 80 percent. Even though the federal government has taken measures such as building up a strategic gas reserve, the country still faces “major challenges” when it comes to ensuring energy security. In addition, “the potential for the production and transport of renewable gases such as hydrogen is still underutilized”.
EU recipes: more renewable energy, more efficiency, less emissions
The European Commission therefore recommends, among other things, accelerating the use of renewable energy sources and the necessary infrastructure, in particular by simplifying the approval procedures. Energy efficiency should also be improved, emissions should be reduced – especially in traffic – and more attention should be paid to the “green transition” in training.
The European Commission regularly examines the government’s economic, budgetary and social policies and provides targeted advice for corrections. This so-called European Semester is intended to help coordinate the policies of the EU countries. Excessive budget deficits and mountains of debt, as well as reform delays, must be avoided.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
