BRUSSELS – ANSWER. They were again at the center of the debate during the meeting energy ministers yesterday in Prague its prices natural gas – an issue that has created a dichotomy as to whether to impose ceiling and by method. “Discussion of this issue is not easy, each country has different conditions, different rules, different interests, but it is very important because we have to mitigate the economic consequences,” commented Czech Minister of Industry and Trade Josef Sikela on behalf of the Czech Presidency. .

Her official proposal Commission It is expected to be filed next Tuesday, October 18th. However, there are doubts as to how and whether the gas cap issue will be included in the final legislative proposal. Commission. European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simpson said the proposal would contain measures that enjoy the highest possible consensus, while she expressed the hope that some conclusion on the matter would be made over the weekend. “It depends not only on the presence of a majority, but also on whether it will be perceived if we introduce a measure that helps, and not vice versa,” Mr. Sikela stressed. “We have to intervene in the market, but we have to do it in such a way as to get the desired result,” he added.

Germany and the Netherlands sat down at the negotiating table with a 10-point proposal for joint natural gas markets.

It is recalled that on the table so far were: the “Iberian model” of Portugal and Spain, with the support of France, which operates with a price ceiling on natural gas used in electricity generation, a proposal from Greece, Italy, Poland and Belgium, which propose a general cap on natural gas gas at a wholesale price and was supported by the signatures of another 12 countries, as well as the proposal of the Commission to limit exclusively Russian gas. Germany and the Netherlands, which are skeptical of a gas price ceiling, met at the negotiating table yesterday with a 10-point proposal on common gas markets.

So far, the main points of the proposal are forecast to be the creation of a platform for common natural gas markets, measures to improve the transparency of the TTF price index, and measures to enhance energy conservation and solidarity among member states. . According to Ms. Simpson, the common platform will allow member states to use their combined purchasing power to avoid further price increases and will favor smaller states. Commissioner Simpson reiterated that the TTF no longer reflects the reality of the energy market, explaining that next week the Commission will be able to provide more details on its counter-proposal for a new European index. With regard to reducing energy consumption, which is the second point the Commission has been pushing for from the outset, Ms Simpson said action could be taken to issue a “European warning” that would make this, as yet voluntary, a reduction in consumption of up to 15%. necessarily.