(Brussels, 19/10/2022) The European Commission has presented its third package of measures to combat the energy crisis and tremendously increasing gas prices. The package offers a “dynamic price cap” in order to temporarily reduce price increases on the European market. At the same time, this price cap is intended to counteract the shift of gas imports to the Asian energy market.

In addition, the Commission proposes a joint EU-wide approach to gas purchasing. I welcome this proposal. However, joint gas purchases are only a first step towards reducing rising energy prices. It is now up to the EU Member States to pull together and accelerate phasing out from dependence on imported fossil fuels.

Clearly, we can do more to reduce gas demand and increase energy savings this winter. Together with my Green/EFA group, I, therefore, call for:

– the establishment of a solidarity fund,

– the extension of the excess profits tax to all sectors benefiting from the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis,

– massive investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency, and

– an immediate embargo on the import of fossil fuels and uranium from Russia.