The 27 will meet from this Thursday in Brussels for a two-day summit, whose main theme is energy. European leaders will also discuss the situation in Ukraine, the security of critical infrastructure in the European Union, the economy and food security.
But with inflation skyrocketing, largely at the expense of electricity prices, much of the debate will revolve around the package of measures put forward by the European Commission to deal with the new reality.
The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, was interested in seeing discussed, between now and the 27th, what she classifies as “the merits” of the Iberian solution, to lower the electricity bill. However, the measure adopted in Portugal and Spain to disaggregate the cost of gas from the formation of the price of electricity raises some doubts in the context of a possible expansion to the entire European market.
One of the concerns is about “the consequences”, since cheaper electricity could be traded with other economies in Europe, which do not belong to the European Union. Sources consulted in Brussels consider that, without other measures, there would be a risk that the Member States would “subsidize” electricity costs in third countries outside the single market, such as Switzerland, or even the United Kingdom, which has interconnected energy with Belgium. . But several countries, such as France, Italy or Slovenia defend the adaptation of the Iberian mechanism to their own markets.
European leaders will discuss the proposed joint purchase of a percentage of gas next year. Under the proposal, member states would have “mandatory participation of companies in the aggregation of EU demand to meet at least 15% of their respective storage targets”.
The 27 will also discuss measures to support families and businesses, as well as limits to the reference value in the price of gas, and must entrust the Commission and the Council of the EU, to proceed “urgently” with the measures “taking into account account the differences in the energy mix of each State”, reads the outline of the conclusions, already consulted by the TSF.
Ukraine
The summit starts with a video conference speech by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky from kyiv. The 27 must express their “unequivocal condemnation” and their “firm” rejection of the “illegal” annexation of the Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Kherson, Lugansk and Zaporizhzhia.
“As in the case of Crimea and Sevastopol, the European Union will never recognize this illegal annexation,” it says in the draft conclusions, in which they also consider that “Russia has no legitimate basis for any action on the territory of Ukraine.” “.
The 27 must recognize Ukraine’s right to “liberate and regain full control of all occupied territories within its internationally recognized borders.”
In this sense, on the 27th he will demand from Russia the “immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of all its military forces from the entire territory of Ukraine.”
Iran
The European Council is also expected to issue a message condemning the “unjustifiable and unacceptable use of force by the Iranian authorities against peaceful protesters, in particular against women.” The conclusions should also include a call for Iran to “immediately stop the violent repression against peaceful protesters”, as well as a call for the “release of detainees”, while respecting “civil and political rights”.
In the two days of the summit, there will also be discussions on security of critical infrastructures, economy and a debate, without results at the level of official conclusions, on the relations of the East with China.
Source: TSF
