During a summit in Versailles, the Twenty-Seven addressed Thursday, March 10 the question of the dependence of theEU towards Russian fossil fuels. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has indicated that she will propose the goal of independence by 2027.
reunited “at the top, under the gold of the Palace of Versailles”, the Twenty-Seven met on Thursday evening for a “long debate behind closed doors” shaped “council of war”, recount The evening. After having ruled out any accelerated accession procedure for Ukraine, European leaders have considered the question of dependence on Russian gas.
“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has highlighted the vulnerability of Europe’s energy supply and raised fears that imports could be cut off by Moscow or due to destruction of pipelines crossing Ukraine” , remind him Wall Street Journal. The conflict has also led “a sharp rise in energy prices, contributing to concerns about inflation and economic growth,” notes the American financial daily.
“A tsunami of new regulations”
“We have no idea how to get there [à réduire la dépendance de l’UE vis-à-vis du gaz russe]”a leading European diplomat told the Evening. “I expect to see a tsunami of new regulations on the lessons of this crisis, which has no quick resolution, unfortunately.”
The European Commission, for its part, will “continue to work on the subject”, adds The evening. Its president, Ursula von der Leyen, said on Twitter on Thursday that she would submit a plan in mid-May to abandon Russian gas from 2027. Among the possible avenues: the diversification of suppliers of theEUinvesting in renewable energies and improving the energy efficiency of buildings.
“While Brussels can provide guidance and facilitate joint purchasing, plans will depend on member states and their ability to quickly switch energy suppliers and bear the burden of higher prices in the short term,” analyzes the correspondent ofEuronews in Brussels, Jorge Liboreiro.
“Something has to be found to bring energy prices down or our leaders will be thrown out of power long before Putin!”launched a European official on Thursday evening, reports The evening.
“Exporters do not have sufficient capacity to liquefy much more gas”
One of the avenues mentioned on Thursday is that of an increase in imports of liquefied gas (GNL). But the European Union is not the only one to consider this solution, notes the economic daily The Echo. “Great Britain, like the United States, has decided on an embargo on Russian gas and oil. It should therefore increase its supply of GNL”, notes the newspaper, stating that “LNG carriers do not hesitate to change destination during transit to serve the highest bidder”. Or “Asia has great gas needs to revive its economy”, highlights the daily.
“Exporters do not have sufficient capacity to liquefy much more gas!” assures a professional of the energy sector, interviewed by The Echo.
Noémie Taylor-Rosner