News

The question of how, when and whether to cap gas prices is set to dominate another meeting of EU countries today, as they pursue a joint plan to target high gas prices.

The EU is plotting its next move to tame soaring energy prices and shield consumers from surging bills, as Europe heads into a winter of scarce Russian gas, a cost-of-living crisis and the looming threat of recession.

“We need to find a quick solution that will be applicable to all the European Union,” a senior EU official said.

“National solutions are not a way forward.”

EU energy ministers meet in Prague again to attempt to provide clearer instructions on what the European Commission should propose as the next emergency energy measure.

But countries still cannot decide what they want, as talks among EU leaders last week did little to clarify the next steps.

With gas prices almost 90% higher than a year ago, most EU countries say they want a gas price cap, but disagree on its design.

Some countries, including Germany, Europe’s biggest gas market, remain opposed.

One EU diplomat said that last week’s talks “went in all directions”, referring to the numerous options being floated, including a price cap on all gas, pipeline gas, or just gas used to produce electricity.

Another EU diplomat said no “unified signal” had come out of the leaders’ talks.

“I’d say expectations are low,” the diplomat said of the meeting.

Others were more hopeful a consensus was emerging.

A senior EU official said countries were leaning towards the “Iberian model” of capping the price of gas used for power generation as a quick fix.

Spain and Portugal implemented that scheme in June, which helped curb local power prices. The idea has gained support among other countries, although some worry it could raise EU gas demand, since Spain’s gas use increased under the measure.

EU countries have already rushed through emergency energy windfall profit levies, gas storage filling obligations, and electricity demand curbs to address the surge in energy prices driven by Russia slashing gas supplies since it invaded Ukraine.

But the pressure to agree more EU-wide measures has increased after Germany said it would spend up to €200bn to shield its consumers and businesses from high energy costs which prompted a backlash from some countries about the uneven roll-out of national support.

Article Source: EU countries seek way out of impasse over gas price caps – RTE

Copyright and Related Rights Act, 2000