The S&D Group in the European Parliament said it considers the Winter Preparedness Action Plan, presented by the European Commission, as a “timely and yet insufficient step.” They say it can “go towards solving a possible energy crisis, that might hit our continent long before the cold months, due to the current heat wave in Europe and the increased…
Energy
Vulnerable Households and the Energy Crisis
Vulnerable households, already under severe cost of living pressure, have been “effectively ignored” by a commission plans for dealing with the energy crisis, says the European Left Group. It says new measures, drafted in collaboration with Europe’s major energy corporations, confirm that the EU is set to double down on its commitment to a failed…
Russia Blackmails Europe by Cutting Off Gas
Having declared force majeure on gas supplies, Russia turned to open blackmail of Europe, seeking to turn the energy crisis into a powerful weapon of influence on Western governments. The traditionally loyal, almost “friendly” to Russia Berlin fell under the main blow. The indicative effect of such an impact on Europe’s key economy and “almost friends and partners” should be the…
EU and Azerbaijan enhance bilateral relations, including energy cooperation
Yesterday in Baku, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson met with President Ilham Aliyev and Azeri Energy Minister Parviz Shahbazov to strengthen the existing cooperation between the EU and Azerbaijan. The two Presidents signed a new Memorandum of Understanding on a Strategic Partnership in the Field of Energy. Currently, the EU and Azerbaijan are…
Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Ukraine
What do you do with infrastructure that your invading army has seized? In early March, the Russians captured the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant (ZNPP). This is the largest nuclear power plant in Europe which has six reactors with a total capacity of 6 GW. Despite being captured and having interim curator managers sent from the…
Stop Bloody Energy
Dozens of activists from Ukraine and Europe within the Stop Bloody Energy initiative held a rally in Davos against the energy business, which continues to operate in Russia. Russia has unleashed the most brutal and bloodiest war of the 21st century. Russia has been destroying Ukraine for three months. Tens of thousands of people were…
Greens Call for Windfall Profits Tax on Oil Companies
On the agreement of the EU Heads of State and Government on a partial oil embargo and the ongoing European Council meeting Philippe Lamberts MEP, President of the Greens/EFA group in the European Parliament, comments: “The agreement to ban 90 percent of Russian oil from entering the European Union and to finally put the sixth sanctions package…
EESC Support for REPowerEU Initiative
The European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) has thrown its support behind the Commission’s “REPowerEU” initiative, stressing that energy security must be accompanied by urgent measures to protect vulnerable users, accelerate decarbonisation and diversify energy sources. Steps should also be taken to reduce demand for Russian gas which has brought about a significant increase in energy…
Securing Affordable Sustainable Energy
The EPP Group says that Europe urgently needs a plan to develop long-term partnerships with non-EU countries to ensure “sustainable, secure and affordable energy.” “This is needed not just for the EU but also for world stability”, said Christian Ehler MEP, the EPP Group Spokesman on Energy, Industry and Research. The European Commission has published…
REPowerEU
The Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament have welcomed REPowerEU – the European Commission’s plan to reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels and fast forward towards the green transition. S&Ds call for a new recovery plan to finance the energy transition, similar to the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), created for the purpose of…