To help energy consumers, France, Italy, Romania and a dozen other EU countries are pushing for a maximum gas price ceiling at the EU level, reports Euronews, cited by Rador.

But they face opposition from countries such as the Netherlands and Germany, which fear the suppliers could sell their natural gas elsewhere.

The European Commission proposes a temporary price cap and also suggests EU members join forces to buy gas together, thus lowering their price.

If energy ministers fail to reach an agreement next week, the heads of government will have to find a solution at a summit on December 15.

“The problem,” says Jack Van Roon, a baker, “is that gas prices go up so fast, and at some point you can’t keep up with them.”

Now I’m paying €1,400 a month, but soon it could be €12,000 or €13,000: these are estimates for November, and it’s impossible to continue at this rate.”

A few days ago, the Dutch government decided to offer low-cost loans to bakers who want to replace gas ovens with electric ones, but for workers in the industry this change will not be a solution.

“Of course, you can switch to electricity, but you have to wait about two and a half years to lay a cable (on the street).

We have already tried to buy new furnaces, but it would be an investment of half a million euros, an amount that causes too much uncertainty compared to the last 17 years of operation.”

To avoid the closure of energy-dependent companies, the European Union can once again increase support for gas and electricity consumers.

Since the start of the energy crisis (September 2021), EU countries have allocated almost €600 billion in aid to protect consumers and businesses from rising energy costs.

European bakers are suffering, and rising production costs are already becoming a nightmare: whether it’s a local family bakery on the corner or a huge industrial bakery, soaring bills are a threat to existence.

The energy crisis has hit Europe’s bakeries hard: more information can be found in the Euronews Witness report on bakers in Romania, Italy and the Netherlands.