Officials, for example, said that while “it makes little sense to throw the system overboard now,” Berlin is “prepared to take another look at price formation in Europe to see whether something can be improved.” This group believes the Commission’s “toolbox” proposals launched last week — such as temporarily lowering taxes — are generally the right approach.
Open heart surgery:
But a group of southern and eastern countries — led by Spain, which is one of the. Hardest-hit in the bloc — wants substantial changes to wholesale markets and is pushing for joint. EU purchases of gas, which Madrid telegram database argues would allow the EU to negotiate better prices. Spanish officials said PM Pedro Sánchez would plead for wide-ranging “structural” changes, not just “palliative” solutions. (Sánchez is scheduled to meet with Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen this morning, ahead of the summit.)
The Commission’s mantra that the solution is to build more renewables annoys. Spaniards, who have invested heavily in solar energy and have the second-highest installed wind power capacity after. Germany, but experienced a wind lull in the fall. Ahead of the summit, Spanish Ecological. Transition Minister Teresa Ribera told our colleagu. Aitor Hernández-Morales that the most vulnerable consumers should not be “paying for the consequences of market dynamics. Aitor has a walk-up for the EUCO energy debate.
Delays:
A further discussion on common energy procurement and storage — suggested by Spain — is likely to be pushed back until next week’s emergency energy ministers’ meeting.
RUSSIA’S ROLE may also come up, following Josep Borrell’s warning this week that sms to data the spike in gas prices had “deep geopolitical roots.” German officials said they believed Moscow is fulfilling all its supply contracts. But von der Leyen on Wednesday told the European Parliament plenary: “While Gazprom has honored its long-term contracts with us, it did not activate windows by phone respond to higher demand as it did in previous years.”