At an informal Council meeting of energy ministers on Wednesday 13 May, the European Commission unveiled a “catalogue” of Member States’ “best practices” in dealing with the energy price crisis. Announced on 22 April when the AccelerateEU plan (see EUROPE 13854/1) was presented, this document lists the national measures deemed appropriate by the EU’s main executive body, with a view to inspiring other countries.
The 33-page catalogue highlights initiatives aimed at reducing the consumption of fossil fuels. By moving in this direction collectively, the EU27 could aim to “reduce demand for natural gas by around 10 to 15 billion cubic metres (Bcm) per year, and the use of oil and petroleum products by around 15 to 20 million tonnes of oil equivalent (Mtoe) per year”, it is estimated in the introduction.
Among a myriad of national examples, it mentions “Greek electricity bills, [which] have been operating since 2018 on a tiered pricing system, in which the higher the consumption, the higher the price per kWh”.
To encourage lower electricity consumption during peak hours, the Commission is praising “the massive deployment of smart meters”, as seen in Finland and Sweden.
With regard to budgetary support measures for households and businesses, the institution highlights those that “do not conflict with reducing dependence on fossil fuels”. These include the French ‘energy voucher’ created in 2024, and an “Austrian scheme to support electricity prices for industry”. This includes “the obligation to carry out an energy audit or (...) to allocate a minimum of 80% of the funds received to energy efficiency measures and/or renewable energy”.
The document lists a host of other examples of measures from across the EU. They also aim to: - remove preferential treatment (particularly tax treatment) for oil and gas; - help consumers change energy supplier (see EUROPE 13860/12); - encourage investment in the green transition; - or to promote public transport.
See the catalogue: https://aeur.eu/f/lwg (Original version in French by Clément Solal)