The summit of EU heads of state in Brussels
.
The Prime Minister, Mario Draghi, also participates in the meetings today and tomorrow.
PRICE CAP
The reference to the
price cap
enters the latest version of the draft conclusions of
the European Council
.
The text - which ANSA has read - in the paragraph on economic issues, point 23, sees the addition in which we read that the Council "in contrasting Russia's use of gas as a weapon and recalling the conclusions of May 31, invites the Commission to pursue in its efforts to ensure affordable energy supplies ".
The conclusions of the May summit invited the Commission to explore options to calm prices, including that of a temporary price cap.
UKRAINE
"It is a decisive moment for the European Union. I am confident that today we will give candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova and we will express a clear and strong European perspective for Georgia".
This was stated by the president of the European Council
Charles Michel arriving at the summit of EU heads of state
.
BALKANS
"It is a shame that a NATO country, Bulgaria, is taking two other NATO countries hostage, North Macedonia and Albania, in the midst of a war in our backyard and that another 26 countries are standing still and powerless": so did Albanian Prime Minister
Edi Rama
in Brussels for the summit on the Western Balkans.
"Let's not change course, build Europe in our own home, because there is no other option to the path of integration", he underlined.
"It is good to give candidate status to Ukraine but I hope that the Ukrainian people do not have too many illusions."
"We are not where we should be in the Balkans - said EU foreign policy high representative
Josep Borrell -
, today we should launch negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia and I can't help but hide my regret: there is still hope, I don't know what the parliament in Bulgaria can do but it doesn't seem to be going well "." We will have to try to resolve the situation and this shows that unanimity is a problem, you cannot go on with a country that blocks everything.
Today is not a good day. "
THE POINT
The skyrocketing inflation, the gas weapon wielded by the Kremlin and the great puzzle of the price cap: beyond the triumphal green light to the candidacy of Ukraine and Georgia, it is all about the energy that will be played in the
last game
EU summit before the summer today and Friday
.
And it is a match that will once again see Italy as the protagonist.
On the gas price ceiling, the consensus of the 27 continues to be lacking and the Commission's proposal, on the horizon, is not yet there.
For Mario Draghi, the measure remains a European priority and also has its own political significance, that of a counter-sanction to Russia which is gradually shutting off the taps on Europe.
The reference to the price cap in the conclusions of the European Council will be dealt with right up to the end.
Certainly, no operational decision will come out of the summit.
The day on which the storm is hovering is that of Friday, when the Eurosummit will take place first and then the session of the European summit dedicated to economic issues.
The discussion, from several European sources, is anticipated as "serious" or "intense", terms that in Brussels are usually used to describe a confrontation.
ECB President Christine Lagarde will illustrate the foundations of the new anti-fragmentation shield to eurozone leaders.
But not everyone will applaud and the Northern Hawks will reiterate their skepticism towards the new Eurotower intervention.
In the conclusions of the eurosummit there is a clear reference to inflation: it will be emphasized that it is largely the war in Ukraine and the high energy prices that have caused it.
Some capital,
European diplomatic sources explain, he also saw in this passage an indirect reference to the price cap.
A solution which, however, was not enough for Italy.
The negotiation on the 'Economic issue' paragraph of the draft conclusions is thus restarted.
In the text there will be a reference to "the use of gas and oil as a weapon" by Moscow and there will be negotiations on that at the price cap, and in particular to the conclusions of the summit of 30 and 31 May last, when the Council invited the Commission to explore options for keeping energy prices down, including a temporary price cap.
Italy is increasing its pressure for the Commission to elaborate the proposal as soon as possible.
And it is not excluded that Rome will present a non-paper (one of its written positions) to the Energy Affairs Council next week.
However, European sources explain that an operational decision "will only come between September and October" and underline how,
Italy's thesis goes in the opposite direction: the progressive stop to supplies from Moscow nullifies the fear that, with the price ceiling, the Russa could turn off the taps.
A thesis that is confirmed in the words of the head of the International Energy Agency (IEA): the EU must be "ready in the event that Russian gas is completely cut off", warned Fatih Birol.
The European summit is called upon to provide the first answers.
On the roof of Russian gas prices, the position of Germany will obviously be crucial, which remains substantially opposed but more open to comparison than a few weeks ago.
Today, however, the EU will grant candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova.
Georgia and Bosnia will be given a clear European perspective but Brussels will ask for an extra step for status.
Enlargement, from a political point of view, will in any case return to being the protagonist after the intersection of vetoes that have marked the issue in recent years.
And also for the opening of the accession negotiations of Albania and Georgia, in Brussels they assure that it is only a matter of days.
The Bulgarian veto, is the insurance provided by Sofia, should fall beyond the new government crisis underway.
"Once again this is the time for Europe", exulted Ursula von der Leyen.
A Europe that will reaffirm financial, humanitarian and military support to Kiev "as long as it is needed".