“There is criticism and concerns coming from member states, but at the leaders’ retreat [last month in the Belgian countryside] they asked the Commission to come up with solutions on energy,” said one EU official with knowledge of the talks, granted anonymity to speak frankly, as were others quoted in this piece.
Described as an orientation debate, the meeting was a chance for commissioners to “exchange ideas on these topics and propose concrete actions,” said the EU official, “particularly in this case, as the president is expected by the member states to present on energy prices at the next EUCO [European Council]. They’re important to member states so it’s important to the Commission.”
According to an internal note drafted by EU competition chief Teresa Ribera, a Spanish socialist, and Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen, a Danish social democrat, “the recent escalation in the Middle East and the disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have had an immediate effect on global energy prices and market volatility.”
And yet, the Commission’s strategy remains unchanged despite strikes on Iran sparking supply concerns. The internal note, obtained by POLITICO, focuses on long-standing calls to boost green energy, but also acknowledges that may not be enough and hints at a “bridge solution” to slash bills until the benefits from the clean transition are felt.
A second Commission official confirmed that the meeting was called to focus on improving “organization in the wake of the high energy prices due to the conflict in the Middle East,” but that the response would focus on trying to get national governments to take advantage of powers already available under existing EU rules to slash bills.
A third official, who has worked directly on the proposals, said the Commission is confident it has “taken concrete actions” in the wake of Russia weaponizing energy supplies, and that it is in a good place to deal with current developments. “We have enhanced security of supply by diversifying our partners and reducing overdependencies on unreliable suppliers like Russia,” they said.