BRUSSELS -
Energy vouchers for the poorest segments of the population financed, among other things, by Ets auction revenues
, reduce tax rates in a limited and targeted way over time, shift the levy for the financing of renewables to sources outside the electricity bill , and measures of a general nature for all energy consumers, which "do not constitute state aid".
These are some of the tools indicated in
the EU Commission's 'toolbox' available to Member States to deal with expensive bills
.
The EU communication on energy will be discussed by European leaders at the summit on 21 and 22 October.
Among the other interventions that Member States can put in place to cope with expensive bills in the immediate future, there is the
possibility of aid to businesses
, "in full compliance with the state aid framework", with a margin of flexibility for investments. on the energy transition. Other measures to support businesses provide for the
aggregation of demand from SMEs
, but always "in compliance with the competition rules".
The Commission also undertakes to
investigate "any anti-competitive behavior in the energy market"
, will ask the EU Financial Markets Authority (ESMA) to intensify the current monitoring of the EU carbon market and will appoint the Agency for Regulator Cooperation (Acer) to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the current structure of the wholesale electricity market, especially in reference to a situation of extreme price volatility.
In the next
gas and hydrogen package, expected in December,
the European Commission "will examine the possible
advantages of joint procurement of gas stocks" for "the creation of strategic reserves"
. This is one of the medium-term commitments contained in the communication of the EU Executive on energy prices. Participation in the joint purchase program, the document specifies, "would be voluntary and the program should be structured in such a way as not to interfere with the functioning of the internal energy market".
The European Commission will also activate
cross-border regional gas risk groups, as
required by current legislation. The expert groups "will analyze the risks for the next four years and advise the Member States and the Commission on the measures" to be taken for regions with low storage capacity. Risk groups will also consider the possibility of regional joint storage arrangements.
Wholesale gas prices will remain high throughout the winter to decline in the spring
, when they will begin to stabilize at levels that will in any case be higher and characterized by greater volatility than the 2011-21 average values. It is the analysis of the European Commission. "The market expects the current price increases to be temporary," explains an EU official. Today the TTF (Title Transfer Facility) index used by operators as a reference for the European market has a value of 90 euros per megawatt / hour, in April it should drop to 50, in a year to 42 and in two years to 35.
The commitment to avoid anti-competitive behavior and manipulation on the energy markets by the European Commission is "constant" and there is "zero tolerance" for possible speculative activities in the European Emissions Trading System (ETS).
The Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson, said this during the press conference to present the communication on energy and high prices.
