The French Presidency of the Council of the European Union intends to continue the discussions between the Member States on potential adaptations of the European energy market to deal with soaring prices, the French Minister for Ecological Transition, Barbara Pompili, said on Thursday 27 January, during a discussion with the members of the European Parliament’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE), firstly, and then during an interview with journalists.
“Be assured that under our Presidency, this rise in energy prices will continue to be discussed in depth, because we cannot underestimate the consequences of this price increase”, Ms Pompili promised MEPs.
Describing this price increase as a “crisis of unprecedented proportions” since the oil crisis of the 1970s, the Minister recalled that this subject had already been discussed under the French Presidency last week at an informal meeting of the Member States’ Energy Ministers in Amiens. At the end of the meeting, Ms Pompili stated that a majority of Member States support the development of the retail electricity market (see EUROPE 12875/10).
In an interview with some media, including EUROPE, ahead of her discussion with MEPs, the Minister expressed her willingness to put the debate back on the table at the next formal meeting of Energy Ministers on 27 June (‘Energy Council’).
Why so late? Because the Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators (ACER) and the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) will deliver their conclusions on the design of the European wholesale electricity market and the functioning of the European Union Emissions Trading System (ETS) in April.
Asked about the possibility that France might present proposals to modify certain modalities of the European energy market during this Council, the Minister stressed the need for the French Presidency to remain in its role as coordinator.
“In my position (...), I can set the pace [of the discussions] and set a meeting point in June to show that this is a subject that cannot be allowed to drag on and to which we must return as regularly as possible”, she replied. Adding: “And most of all there is the Commission, which can make proposals following these two reports [from ACER and ESMA]”.
While divisions between Member States persist, the Minister is optimistic. Throughout the discussions in Amiens, there was “an awareness” of the social impact of this crisis “that I had not necessarily felt before”, she said.
In addition to the issue of rising energy prices, the Minister was also asked by MEPs about the French Presidency’s intentions regarding the EU taxonomy.
While the Commission plans to include fossil gas and nuclear energy in the taxonomy as “transitional” activities and under certain conditions (see EUROPE 12877/26), Ms Pompili defended the need to be “pragmatic” and to use “all the tools that allow us to lower our greenhouse gas emissions”.
The Minister also expressed her wish to make firm progress in the EU Council negotiations on the proposals for the revision of the Energy Efficiency Directive (2018/2002) and the Renewable Energy Directive (2018/2001), without however making any progress in reaching a political agreement (general approach) at the ‘Energy’ Council in June. (Original version in French by Damien Genicot)