EU: Von der Leyen wants to propose price limits for energy

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EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

Photo: Kenzo Tribouillard / Pool AFP / AP / picture alliance / dpa

Because of the effects of the war in Ukraine on energy prices, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants to propose a temporary cap.

As the German announced on Thursday evening at the EU summit in Versailles, she has the mandate to present options for emergency measures by the end of March, which also include temporary price limits.

It is therefore a matter of limiting the "contagion effects" between gas prices and electricity prices.

By the end of May, the Commission also intends to present options to improve the design of the electricity market with a view to reducing CO2 emissions.

The Brussels authorities had already presented possible measures on Tuesday to reduce Russian gas imports by two thirds within a year and to lower the sharply increased energy prices.

The Commission intends to make concrete proposals for implementing this plan by the end of May.

There should be concrete specifications for gas storage by the end of March.

"We are too dependent on Russian fossil fuels and especially on gas," commented von der Leyen on Thursday evening.

You have to switch to other suppliers and increase the proportion of renewable energies.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke out in favor of temporarily regulating the gas market on Wednesday and proposed capping wholesale prices across Europe.

kfr/dpa