EU must act now on ‘catastrophic’ energy price spike, says European Council chief
The EU must “make up for lost time” in finding urgent answers to an energy price spike that is a “catastrophe” for households and businesses, the head of the European Council, Charles Michel, has said.
Michel, who chairs EU leader summits, said the bloc needed to address the question of price caps, an idea backed by many EU member states.
In scarcely veiled criticism, he said the European Commission had been too late in coming up with proposals on the price crisis despite repeated calls from EU leaders for action.
“There is not a day to lose,” said Michel, who urged the EU executive to put “concrete proposals on the table” as soon as possible and not wait until 14 September when the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, is due to give her annual state of the union speech.
On Monday Von der Leyen said the commission was preparing plans to separate power prices from the soaring cost of gas, in an effort to ensure electricity prices reflected cheaper renewable energy. Her remarks triggered a sharp fall in the wholesale price of gas.
EU energy ministers will hold emergency talks on 9 September, but it is not expected they will have official proposals to discuss.
Michel, who has chaired several EU debates on energy, made clear his dissatisfaction with the timing in an interview with European newspapers, including the Guardian.
“We have to address the question of the price caps,” he said. “That is not new, we do not start this debate today. That is why we invited the commission several times in the past to put concrete proposals on the table to help the member states decide.
“An ideological debate on instruments is not enough. We need concrete and operable proposals on the table in order to deliver.”
Commission insiders
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