There is “a deal on the subject of energy,” said the spokesman for EU Council President Charles Michel on Friday night. The Austrian chancellor also speaks of “real progress”. According to him, there will be a gas price cap and joint gas purchasing.
The heads of state and government EU have agreed on measures against the exploding energy prices. There is “a deal on the subject of energy,” said the spokesman for the EU Council President Charles Michel on Friday night on Twitter. At an EU summit, a package of measures had previously been the subject of hours of debate. Michel and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wanted to explain the agreement to journalists that night.
“It is actually a piece of advice with good news,” said the Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) after the meeting. First, the “Iberian model” of the EU Commission further developed, according to Nehammer. “It’s real progress because at first it looked like we weren’t going to catch on.”
Gas price cap and joint gas purchasing
Secondly, according to the Chancellor, there should be a gas price cap. This means a possible price cap on the wholesale price TTF on the Dutch stock exchange in order to limit price fluctuations. Equally “gratifying” is the agreement on a joint gas purchase. This should now “actually be implemented”, emphasized Nehammer. Fourth, to support financially weak countries in the energy crisis, existing funds should be used and no new money pots should be filled.
The gas price cap could already be implemented, the Chancellor explained. The “Iberian model” is much more complex because it affects many more European countries and there are still open questions regarding its implementation. “But for Austria, the progress was important that it is not rejected from the outset,” said Nehammer. Germany had expressed “great concerns”.
Now nation states are required
The Chancellor also emphasized that nation states now have to help “acutely”. The EU Commission has promised that all support measures will be “administratively” handled more easily. When it comes to financing the “Iberian model, that’s more complex, we’ll still be talking about months,” explained Nehammer.
A package from the EU Commission was on the negotiating table at the summit, which provides for joint gas purchases and financial relief for companies and citizens, but did not provide for a gas price cap. 15 EU countries had requested this. Nehammer had expressed dissatisfaction with the Commission’s proposal.
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