The heads of state and government of the European Union have agreed on a roadmap in the energy dispute, but many questions remain unanswered.
EU Council President Charles Michel tweeted on Friday morning that EU countries had agreed at their Brussels summit to “devise measures to contain energy prices for households and businesses”. The EU now has “a very good timetable,” said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
According to Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), the federal states have agreed on joint gas purchases, some of which should be mandatory at the proposal of the EU Commission. “I think that’s good progress,” said Scholz in Brussels.
In addition, the EU energy ministers are to examine at a meeting in Luxembourg next Tuesday how price fluctuations through speculation on the gas market can be prevented. The aim is “that it is not impossible to get gas through arbitrarily set prices,” said the Chancellor.
“There are still many doubts” about the question of whether a European upper limit for gas prices, such as in Spain and Portugal, is possible, said Scholz. Countries like Germany and Denmark spoke out against it. The Chancellor therefore did not rule out another EU summit.
French President Emmanuel Macron also expressed his satisfaction with the agreement: “In my opinion, the goals of this summit have been achieved,” he said after more than eleven hours of deliberations, which diplomats had described as tough.
France, together with the majority of countries, had campaigned for a European gas price cap and called on Scholz to give in. According to Macron, the EU could already have “mechanisms that can be implemented at the end of October or beginning of November”. The EU Commission is now to present concrete legislative proposals for this.
Scholz firmly rejected Macron’s assessment that he was “isolated” as Germany’s representative in the EU. This is “in no way” the case, emphasized the Chancellor. The cooperation between him and the French President is as “intensive” as it is “successful”.
Macron said he mediated at the summit together with Council President Michel and “established unity between positions”. He will receive Scholz in Paris next Wednesday “so that we can move forward”.
Berlin and Paris had previously canceled a joint ministerial meeting, citing a lack of agreement on central points. There are points of contention in energy and armaments policy.
The EU summit was also about further support for Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned in a video link with EU leaders that more people could flee his country to the west because Russia is turning Ukraine “into a battlefield” with attacks on the energy system.
The heads of state and government will continue their deliberations on Friday morning. The focus is on the EU’s relations with Asia and preparations for the world climate summit in Egypt in November.
