War in Ukraine: Emergency meeting of the European Union energy crisis.
Winter is coming and the European Union fears the worst.
Electricity at 1000 euros, reduction of Russian gas, return of coal despite climate change ... The energy war is well underway and again, Winter is coming as they say in Game of Thrones. This has not escaped Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, whose country holds the presidency of the European Union. The elected official said this Friday that her country will convene an emergency meeting to deal with the energy crisis related to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
The Czech Presidency "will convene an emergency meeting of Energy ministers in order to discuss specific emergency measures to deal with the energy situation," the Prime Minister said in a tweet. Approved by Ursula von der Leyen, head of the European Commission, the decision comes as the 27 EU member states are trying to reduce their dependence on Russia for oil and gas supplies.
European Union energy crisis
Reduced supplies and concern about the future have caused energy prices in Europe to skyrocket. Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Jozef Sikela said the European energy council should meet "as soon as possible," in a tweet. "We are in an energy war with Russia and it is harming the entire EU," he said.
On Friday, Germany and France announced record prices for electricity in 2023, with one-year contracts jumping to 850 euros per megawatt hour in Germany and more than 1,000 euros in France, compared to 85 euros in both countries last year.
The European Commission plans to reduce the EU's dependence on Russian gas by two thirds this year and end its dependence on Russian supplies of this fuel before 2030. Heavily dependent on gas imports from Russia, the Czech Republic has pledged to make energy security its priority during its EU presidency, which began on July 1.
European Union energy crisis statements
Jozef Sikela said that the energy market had stopped functioning properly as a result of the reduction in Russian supply. "To a certain extent, the market has gotten out of control, market volatility is no longer responding to good news, while bad news is piling up and pushing up prices," he told reporters mercerdi.
"This is a problem of the whole of Europe and of course, if you have the European market and a pan-European problem, the easiest way to look for a solution is at the pan-European level," he added. Among the possible solutions, Jozef Sikela mentioned price ceilings and price diversification depending on the type of energy production.
European Union energy crisis details
The EU has targeted the Russian energy sector in its sanctions, banning coal imports from Russia. His plan to reduce gas consumption across the Union by 15% to deal with the energy price crisis came into force earlier this month. The objective is to allow the EU to strengthen its gas reserves in anticipation of a winter that is likely to be very difficult
However, some member countries have obtained exemptions from this rule, as they are too dependent on Russian supplies.
