On Wednesday 19 October in Strasbourg, on the eve of the European Council, MEPs have called on EU Member States to adopt an ambitious common European solution to the energy crisis caused by Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine. Despite converging demands, the different political groups were, however, highly critical of each other.
“Solidarity and unity must be our watchwords”, said Stéphane Séjourné (Renew Europe, French). Like his colleagues Iratxe García Pérez (S&D, Spanish), Terry Reintke (Greens/EFA, German) and Martin Schirdewan (The Left, German), he called on the EU Council and the European Commission to implement cyclical and structural changes to the European energy market.
Many of them made mention of the issues relating to a European tariff shield, capping of gas prices, a new solidarity fund, joint energy procurement and the decoupling of gas and electricity prices.
“We are therefore going to organise the joint purchase of gas at EU level. At least 15% of the volumes required to fill the storage facilities will have to be ordered in bulk”, explained the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
Mr Schirdewan would have preferred this purchase to be 100% of the volumes.
On the issue of decoupling energy prices, Ms von der Leyen outlined the European Commission’s plan to establish a new specific price benchmark for LNG, a complementary benchmark that will be developed in cooperation with the European regulator (see EUROPE 13045/1).
Members from political groups on the left of the political spectrum have also emphasised the importance of fighting social injustice. Ms García Pérez criticised the European Commission for its lack of ambition in this area. She called for strong social measures, including a financial instrument that would implement a solidarity mechanism.
Ms Reintke is of the opinion that dynamic capping of gas prices would not be sufficient to tackle inequities. She urged the European Commission to also address fiscal and social issues, as well as mentioning food insecurity: “We have to build a truly ecological sustainable agricultural system!”
For his part, Manfred Weber (EPP, German) shared his concerns about the increase in migration flows, especially on the Balkan route. “Frontex must be strengthened”, he said, as the European Parliament voted against the discharge for the implementation of the European agency’s 2020 budget (see EUROPE 13045/18).
The President of the EPP group criticised his country’s Social Democrat leader, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, for acting alone without consulting his neighbours, calling his attitude a “national ego trip”. Praising Angela Merkel’s strategy during the Covid-19 crisis, he called for “more EPP, less socialists”, urging the Greens and European Socialists to support his party’s ideas.
The response was swift. Ms García Pérez addressed Mr Weber directly, saying: “nostalgia for the Merkel period”. “At that time, there was no alliance with the far right!”, she said to him. And to further emphasise the point: “Forza Italia is no longer the pillar of the centre-right in Italy, it has become the crutch of post-fascism!”
Similarly, Mr Séjourné pointed out that when the EPP was leading the EU in the 2010s, “Europe did not shine during the sovereign debt crisis”.
Marco Zanni (ID, Italian), from the La Lega party, asked MEPs to “respect the democratic choices” of citizens. (Original version in French by Anne Damiani)