The meeting of European energy ministers concluded the examination of the solidarity mechanisms on gas supplies and is now discussing the main point of the package, that of the static price cap on the price of gas.
That there is an agreement today cannot be ruled out
.
The group of "fifteen" - even if some sources explain that it would be a smaller number - made it clear, also explained by the Italian minister Gilberto Pichetto, that
the Commission's proposal is not suitable
and the three texts of the package (ranging from acceleration of permits on renewables to the common platform) should be treated together.
And the countries that have shared this position constitute a blocking minority.
Also for this reason, according to various European sources,
the hypothesis of a new extraordinary Energy Council is rising
, which could be held on 11 or 13 December, or rather close to the summit of leaders called to find a political agreement on the dossier.
At that point the Ordinary Council of Energy Ministers of 19 December would ratify the agreement.
The Czech presidency has already given its willingness to convene any new meetings.
The Energy Affairs Council convened today should have found an initial agreement on the market correction mechanism - a static price cap - proposed by the EU Commission together with the entire energy emergency package.
Most of the 27 arrived at the table with very critical positions
on the roof proposal put forward by Palazzo Berlaymont.
The
15 countries - Italy and France included
- which had signed the letter in September in favor of a cap on gas had a brief meeting before the Council and agreed on a united position, that of
not joining the
Commission's proposal.
Proposal that the Polish Environment Minister, Anna Moskwa, clearly defined as "a joke"
before entering the meeting.
But reservations also come from the so-called skeptical countries, which will once again highlight their concern for the security of supplies.
No agreement on the plan was expected at the meeting but the
agreement appears to be more uphill
than expected.
And
Germany, which leads the group of countries opposed to the gas price cap, says it is ready to negotiate
.
"The proposal put forward by the European Commission is already a kind of compromise, some minor changes are needed, but overall it goes in the right direction. However, many other Member States disagree: we take these criticisms seriously and are open to negotiation ".
This was stated by the Secretary of State for the Economy Sven Giegold on the sidelines of the extraordinary Energy Council in Brussels.
"For us it is essential that the safeguards" agreed by the EU leaders and "provided for in the proposal" by Brussels "are applied and that we avoid gas rationing in Europe", he underlined.
Answering journalists' questions about the threshold set by the European Commission at 275 euros per megawatt hour and considered too high by the majority of countries, Giegold declined to deal with "
figures" with reporters. "We are constructive in the negotiations and whatever their outcome we must be sure that there is no rationing and that safeguards are in place," he insisted. "It is important for us that it is a dynamic ceiling and not fixed.
And all of this is anchored in the Commission's proposal, so we are open to negotiations", explained the secretary of state. "In Europe - he added - we always see each other twice.
We all know that we are in one big network and we will continue to find deals, as we have always found during crises."
It is important for us that it is a dynamic roof and not a fixed one.
And all of this is anchored in the Commission's proposal, so we are open to negotiations", explained the secretary of state. "In Europe - he added - we always see each other twice.
We all know that we are in one big network and we will continue to find deals, as we have always found during crises."
It is important for us that it is a dynamic roof and not a fixed one.
And all of this is anchored in the Commission's proposal, so we are open to negotiations", explained the secretary of state. "In Europe - he added - we always see each other twice.
We all know that we are in one big network and we will continue to find deals, as we have always found during crises."
Holland's position is firmer. For Amsterdam, the EU Commission's proposal involves "a great risk of damaging the energy security of supplies and also the stability of the financial markets
,.
"I am very critical of this proposal even if from a different point of view than some of my colleagues," said Dutch Energy Minister Rob Jetten on the sidelines of the extraordinary meeting with his European counterparts in Brussels.
"Experts warn us that this market mechanism can be harmful for the safety" of stocks, "for financial stability, and we must keep this in mind while we discuss this proposal", Jetten highlighted again, indicating that The Hague intends to verify "any proposal on security of supply" and that "there will be other homework for the European Commission after this meeting".
And it is
Spain
that replies.
According to Madrid, "it would be a huge mistake to approve the aspects of solidarity and joint purchasing today, leaving the ceiling on the price of gas for later, when the price of gas is the key to everything that is happening to us right now".
This was stated by the Minister of Ecological Transition Teresa Ribera on the sidelines of the extraordinary meeting of the Energy Affairs Council.
We come to a complicated council.
The majority of states are concerned about the slowness with which the Commission acts in relation to the mandate it has received.
And
there are some countries that do not agree to approve two of the three texts today and leave the debate on gas prices for a later time.
The two texts must be closely related
,” she explained.
Ursula
von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, however, is optimistic
.
"We are working at full speed on the ninth package of sanctions and
will approve a price cap on Russian oil very soon
with the G7 and other main allies. We will not stop until Ukraine has prevailed over Putin's illegal and barbaric war".
She said it.
In the morning, the search for an agreement immediately appeared difficult
.
"We have finished a meeting between the critical countries" on the price cap proposal "there is agreement not to adhere" to the plan presented by the EU Commission.
This was announced by the Minister of the Environment and Energy Security
Gilberto Pichetto Fratin before the Energy Affairs Council and after a meeting of the "15" countries that had asked for the gas price cap months ago
.
The position "at this point is to evaluate overall both the Commission's proposal on the price cap and the other terms of the agreement which may concern other issues, such as solidarity and transparency, but all in a single block. And on this we will hold the position at this morning's meeting": said the Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, before the Energy Affairs Council.
If there is no agreement on the cap, will it be missing on everything?
"It's not a matter of agreement, but of negotiating the whole package. There may be agreement on some issues," he added.
Words confirmed by France.
The EU Commission's price cap proposal
"
but also on the decoupling between the price of gas and that of electricity and continue to work equally on a profound reform of the market". Said the Minister of Energy Transition of France, Agnes Pannier-Runacher, before joining the Energy Affairs Council And Spain calls the EU price cap
“a joke in bad taste".
"As it is conceived it appears to be a joke in bad taste from the European Commission and the majority of member states view it with concern": Lo said the Minister of Energy Transition of Spain, Teresa Ribeira, before joining the Energy Affairs Council.Greece
is on the same level
"Setting the maximum price at 275 euros per megawatt hour is not really a ceiling. The energy crisis is shaking families and businesses, and for this we must do something. We cannot stand by and do nothing. We are wasting precious time without results and we must protect European families and Europe's credibility".
This was stated by the Greek Minister of the Environment and Energy, Kostas Skrekas, arriving at the extraordinary meeting with the European counterparts.
"We would like a more realistic mechanism. Because even in August, a period in which we suffered from the surge in natural gas prices, this price correction mechanism would not be activated", Skrekas highlighted.
"We have to react as soon as possible, we can't keep wasting time - he insisted -. And,
Out of the chorus Estonia
, closer to the Dutch positions.
For the Estonian government, "security of supply is fundamental. Estonia will negotiate the Commission's proposal. Basically, the price cap proposal on the table is substantially good, but the mechanism must be temporary and must only trigger with really, extremely high prices" : Estonian Economy Minister Riina Sikkut said as she entered the Energy Affairs Council.