Parliamentary question

Written question to the European Commission

The intensity, speed and potential long-term consequences of the current energy crisis are cause for concern. To tackle the crisis, the EU Council has developed a toolkit to help households and businesses in the short term and asked the Commission to make best use of it, while at the same time considering medium- and long-term measures to mitigate excessive price volatility, increase the EU’s energy resilience and ensure a successful transition to a green economy.

1. Given the exceptional pace of developments, does the Commission believe that the proposed toolkit contains levers which will enable Member States alone to address the energy crisis and the knock-on increase in the prices of all other goods effectively and in a timely manner?

2. Is the Commission considering the possibility of developing and adopting a common plan to mitigate the impact of the crisis as soon as possible if national governments’ responses prove insufficient to contain the emergency?

3. Can the Commission ensure that any uncoordinated or slow response by individual Member States to the current crisis will not slow down investment in the green transition at EU-wide level?

Answer given by Commissioner Simson on behalf of the European Commission

The Commission toolbox includes immediate actions such as direct support, tax reductions, avoidance of grid disconnections, deferral of payments, better coordination on energy poverty measures and measures to support the most targeted, including small and medium sized enterprises. Emissions trading system revenues can finance some of these measures. To prepare for the future, the toolbox also includes medium-term measures to boost renewable energy, energy efficiency and buildings’ energy performance, consumer empowerment, and the EU energy system’s resilience, thus mitigating fossil fuel prices hikes. The EUR 72.2 billion of the tabled Social Climate Fund would support these investments in the case of the most vulnerable.

The Commission is monitoring the surge in energy prices very closely across the EU and its impact on citizens and businesses. The toolbox is available for Member States to make tailored use of and the Commission is ready to assist where needed. The Energy Poverty Advisory Hub will support local authorities to implement concrete projects that tackle energy poverty.

The Commission Communication made clear that the problem stems not from existing green policies but from the fact that the green transition is not yet in full swing. It calls for stepping up the efforts to deliver on the green transition, increasing the EU’s energy autonomy and reducing its reliance on fossil fuels. The toolbox does not provide for a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach, but instead proposes a set of consistent measures, avoiding uncoordinated actions that could be harmful in the context of the internal market. The necessary EU funding is also available to avoid disruptions in the green investment.