The debate in the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy on the European Parliament’s draft resolution on support for energy-intensive industries in Europe (see EUROPE 13574/13) took place on Wednesday 19 February ahead of the publication of the Clean Industrial Deal and the Affordable Energy Action Plan, expected next week (see EUROPE 13582/1, 13582/2).
The high energy prices affecting the competitiveness of these industries were highlighted by all MEPs, including the resolution’s rapporteur, Giorgio Gori (S&D, Italian).
He called, as did Mariateresa Vivaldini (ECR, Italian), for inspiration to be drawn from the Italian ‘Energy Release’ model, which aims to promote the installation of new renewable capacity and offer energy-intensive companies the opportunity to purchase electricity at reduced prices.
The EPP, ECR and Patriots for Europe groups were critical of the Emissions Trading System (ETS) and called for the simplification of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which could form part of the European Commission’s first ‘omnibus’ package aimed at simplifying existing legislation (see EUROPE 13578/1).
“We cannot demand high environmental standards, as is the case with the ETS, and at the same time continue to authorise massive imports at dumping prices”, said shadow rapporteur Wouter Beke (EPP, Belgian).
The shadow rapporteur for The Left, Anthony Smith (French), warned against “the unravelling of internal market measures”, in particular calling into question the CBAM.
With regard to the market correction mechanism (price caps) mentioned in a provisional version of the resolution, Andrea Wechsler (EPP, German) recalled that her group was against this type of state intervention, which “undermines the principle of competitiveness and risks sending an unclear message to the market”.
Shadow rapporteur Benedetta Scuderi (Greens/EFA, Italian) called for attention to be focused on renewable energies and the elimination of imports of fossil fuels, including natural gas, which, in her view, are not conducive to strengthening European competitiveness.
Next, Nicolás González Casares (S&D, Spanish) called for the implementation of the recent electricity market reform, for which he had been rapporteur (see EUROPE 13454/27).
During this debate, the European Commission indicated that the priority was indeed to guarantee more stable energy prices, in particular by favouring the long-term contracts highlighted in this reform, but also by working on access to energy infrastructure and anticipating future cost increases. (Original version in French by Pauline Denys)