Industry, Research and Energy committee Chair Cristian Bușoi called upon Member States to swiftly adopt the package of measures proposed on Wednesday in order to tackle high energy prices.
To ease the increased pressure of energy prices on European households and businesses, the European Commission has proposed on Wednesday exceptional electricity-demand reduction measures, which will help reduce the cost of electricity for consumers, and measures to redistribute the energy sector’s surplus revenues to final customers.
“The European Commission has presented measures that will help Member States protect citizens from the energy price shock. We welcome these measures, and we now call on Council to adopt them as soon as possible. A full implementation is essential to preserve the solidarity between Member States through the winter. It’s no longer time for discussions over opt-outs or exemptions. We trust the Czech Presidency will ensure that solidarity prevails” said Cristian Bușoi (EPP, RO).
“It is crucial to make sense of the efforts we are about to make. The European electricity market is no longer functioning, because of Putin’s use of the energy weapon. It was a one-shot weapon – which he used against European citizens. Russia can no longer be considered a reliable partner. We will free ourselves for good from dependence on Russian hydrocarbons. This will not be an easy task” he said.
“Energy is a core element in the welfare of our citizens and of the economy, so when shocks to the system happen the effect is felt throughout our societies. Parliament will stand by the people in this crisis and we will push to ensure that the profits of energy companies are indeed used to protect them”.
“I also welcome the fact that the European Commission has lowered the proposed cap on electricity revenues. We must bear in mind that the citizens of Eastern Europe have a comparatively higher share of energy in their budget. Many simply cannot afford the current prices” he said.
“We hope that the European Commission will quickly come forward with proposals addressing the price of imports – not just from Russia but also from other providers are making considerable profit right now” he added.
